《I Married Because I Wanted To Live A Normal Life》 CH 1 ¡°Miss, you have done a great job.¡± ¡°Catlan, it was a great honor working with you.¡± As soon as I put my luggage down, many people started to say goodbye to me as if they had been waiting for me. Although we went through a lot together, it¡¯s never easy to receive so much preemptive attention from co-workers when leaving the company. Wouldn¡¯t it be nice to say that I had a successful enough social life? The warm sun is shining and the sky is clear. It was good weather in many ways to leave my job. I replied thus with a big smile. ¡°It was a very valuable time for me to have many experiences. It¡¯s a shame it¡¯s time to leave.¡± Guys, you know this is goodbye right? Don¡¯t cling to me even with empty words, if you stay here you will die and I will live. Fortunately, the colleagues who suffered from working hard together nodded to see if they had that much sense. Yes, I hope they leave the job as soon as possible. One of them asked me. ¡°Do you have any plans after you leave your job?¡± It would have been pure curiosity. When I was the Duke¡¯s daughter, I was in charge as the aide to the royal family, and I abruptly quit my job and returned to the family. It must have been even more curious because he had been eliminated as a successor to the family. ¡°Oh, you haven¡¯t heard yet?¡± I laughed loudly. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m getting married soon.¡± People looked at me with a dazed look at my sudden remark, but I only shrugged. Well¡­ that¡¯s what happened. As soon as I decided to marry someone, the person I noticed was none other than one of the gardeners working in my family. His name is Hisch Riot. He is now the third son of a self-made family that has fallen and has a status that is practically no different from that of a commoner. I knew about his existence, but there was a separate reason why I started to be conscious of him. One day, I accidentally walked by the garden, and a rather neat man approached me, who appeared to be over 180 cm tall. A moderately muscular body. Above, a man in a dirty work apron closed his eyes tightly. ¡°Oh, miss, good morning!¡± Appearing from the front and shouting? At first, I was puzzled by his appearance, but even after that, he often appeared in front of me. One day. ¡°It¡¯s a flower that looks like you, so I thought it would change your mood if I gave it to you. ¡± He said shyly and gave me flowers similar to sunflowers. On a warm and sunny day, I called his name and greeted him as if I knew him. ¡°Miss. ¡± As if he was happy to be called by me, he folded his eyes and smiled brightly. When he returned the handkerchief I gave him to use one day, he was so cute as to embroider my initials and shyly handed it to me. At this point, I had no choice but to think like this. Um¡­ you¡¯re seducing me right now, aren¡¯t you? Yeah, well, now that it¡¯s here, I¡¯ll take it. Even if I didn¡¯t, I had to get married for a purpose. But just because I needed a husband, I didn¡¯t want a common patriarchal man in the world. Rather, I wanted someone like a sincere friend with whom I could be with for the rest of my life. And in that sense, Hisch seemed to be the right person for me the more I saw him. From that day on, I began to focus on catching Hisch. Hisch seemed like a very timid little animal, and he was a person who took two steps back when I tried to take one step closer. But instead of avoiding far away, he was a cute opponent because I could see his inner thoughts floating around me. I increased the number of times I met him under the guise of coincidence, and very occasionally invited him over for tea on the pretext of having no one to talk to. After that, when I make eye contact with him, his face turns red and I can see him tilting his head. Sometimes I smile when I see a man shaking in shock when I take his hand. The moment he looks like that and blushes over trivial things or gets teary-eyed, he looks cuter and cuter. A man who didn¡¯t know he was caught in my grip had taken great courage and told me this. ¡°Actually, miss¡­ I, I fell in love at first sight! You might think it¡¯s bold, but¡­ but I want to convey my feelings to you¡­¡± ¡°Okay¡­ let¡¯s get married.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± I immediately responded in front of the man muttering in front of me as if he was in shock. A man who closes his eyes and confesses with a red face? Isn¡¯t that the best? In any case, it was a world where marriage was dominated by family interests, not individual intentions. And I wanted to get married too, which would benefit me. And if my husband liked me, wouldn¡¯t that be the icing on the cake? However, Hisch, who heard my proposal, blinked as if he was very embarrassed. I thought it was too sudden for a moment, so I held his hand and explained with a serious look. ¡°I will take care of you for the rest of your life.¡± It¡¯s natural to be a family, though. He opened his eyes wide when he heard me, and soon lowered his gaze and blushed, ¡°Yes¡­¡± And he replied in a low voice. Cute guy¡­ Now that I have a rabbit-like husband, I knew that I would have to keep the family well with the manor, the dowry of the marriage, and prepare for old age faithfully. So, when I had a ceremony with him. I never thought that the current situation would develop like this. ¡°Hisch.¡± On a clear, sunny day as usual, nothing different from yesterday. Something scattered into ashes, and a man staring blankly at his fingers amidst the chaos, flinched at my startled call and turned his head. ¡°Just now¡­ what¡¯s that?¡± Hiding the hand that grabbed the monster the size of a house behind, my gentle husband said to me with a tearful look. ¡°I don¡¯t want¡­ Liddell to get hurt.¡± As if the previous disturbance was a fantasy, I had no choice but to look at him in an absurd way, feeling the wind pass quietly through the scene. As if the disturbance just now was a fantasy, I couldn¡¯t help but look at him in bewilderment, feeling the wind pass quietly through the scene. I married because I wanted to live a normal life. But the identity of my modest husband is the most suspicious. CH 2 ¡°Daughter, Liddell, are you so happy the wedding is on schedule? You¡¯re smiling from ear to ear. ¡± Oops, I failed to control my facial expressions. My father, the Duke of Catlan, pointed at me and I quickly covered my mouth. I had come to have a little chat with my father after a long time. Of course, it¡¯s because of the marriage, but there was another reason I was really happy. In exchange for this marriage, I will receive my own land and become independent, thus providing the opportunity to safely escape the coming disaster. What is the disaster that is coming soon? How do I know that? Fine¡­ What to hide. One of the clich¨¦s of a full-length romantic fantasy novel, ¡®The Possession of Books¡¯. I am the one who is experiencing it. This world I am in was a world in a series of novels. To be precise, the world in the novel in the series. As the title suggests, Levitea was a series in which people were written one after the other from ancestors to later generations, and the problem is that the era of the novel I possessed is just before the world collapsed. In fact, I don¡¯t know the exact content well. This is because I possessed it without reading the sequel. I just thought it was because the introduction to the last part suddenly said, ¡°The story of the people living in after the apocalypse.¡± Since I belatedly realized that I possessed a character in a novel, as soon as I remembered the post-war situation of the novel, I did my best to prepare myself to avoid the coming disaster. And now it can be said that this marriage is one of the fruits of my efforts. So I cannot help but smile. On the other hand, my father sighed deeply. ¡°You are so stubborn that I gave you my permission¡­ but the eyes of the vassals are not so good.¡± The Duke¡¯s retainers chattered bitterly behind my back about marrying a man who didn¡¯t benefit the family. I don¡¯t claim to be madly in love, but when I see my husband, Hisch, I lead him out of earshot. I listened to those words out of one ear and the other, but Hisch was very concerned. I don¡¯t mind them badmouthing me, but I don¡¯t want him to hear that bad gossip. Cute guy¡­ ¡°It¡¯s all right, Dad. I¡¯m going to the countryside soon, so I won¡¯t be able to see them.¡± ¡°¡­You speak in a very refreshing way. Aren¡¯t you actually going on a trip? It¡¯s like I¡¯m seeing someone who¡¯s happy to retire and enjoy his retirement.¡± ¡°Whew, what are you talking about? I¡¯m so young.¡± Sighing at what I said, he soon said carefully. ¡°¡­You don¡¯t have to go. If you care about people¡¯s eyes, I can block them as much as I want.¡± I understood my father¡¯s heart as well, but the moment I realized that I was possessed, I wanted to leave the capital as soon as possible before the content of the sequel began. Originally, in disaster movies, the capital is the first place to be attacked to impact the development. In addition, the marriage between the male and female protagonist was scheduled some time later, so the story was actually coming to the end, therefore, I had no choice but to be in a hurry. ¡°I have a lot of worries. You lived your whole life without leaving the family¡­.¡± At that, I looked at my father, who was old but had a great spirit because of his appearance. It was amazing to see myself familiar with the man in front of me talking like my father. When I had barely just possessed, it was very difficult to adapt to the new world and family. Anyway, I opened my mouth to reassure him. ¡°Father, as you know, Hisch is not a socialite.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Besides, you know well what people say about him. I don¡¯t want to make Hisch suffer in the midst of those people for my convenience.¡± I couldn¡¯t think that Hisch would adapt well to society, where it was common to turn around and belittle others. My father, who knew his sincerity, also frowned a little as he sighed. ¡°And I¡¯ve told you this several times, but I think our family should slowly return to the territory. I think it would be better to strengthen the interior of the territory now, leaving only a minimum of manpower in the capital mansion.¡± In fact, the family¡¯s blood relatives had been out of the territory for too long, so it was necessary to take care of the internal affairs of the family. However, this is a superficial reason and, in fact, was put forward in the hope that the family would be safe from the disaster. Because of the nature of the work, it was obvious that the events would take place where Alan Levitea, the main character of the novel, was staying. In other words, as long as Alan remained in the capital, the family could be in as much danger as it was. At my words, my father made a mysterious expression. ¡°That¡¯s all you¡¯ve been talking about lately. As if you want to get us out of the capital.¡± I winced a little because it was true. Years of experience are not to be ignored. ¡°But my dear. The atmosphere is unusual these days. The loss of senses and the cannibalism are happening simultaneously. And the animals and insects in the forest are all dead. It¡¯s too ominous.¡± I was aware of that. Since the characters have already mentioned those in the novel. At the time of reading it, I wondered if it was suddenly talking about something out of the blue, but it turned out that it was a foreshadowing of the sequel. ¡°If we are away at a time like this, the royal family will be overwhelmed.¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t help it if my father says so.¡± I couldn¡¯t strongly tell them to abandon everything they had and leave here as I please. First of all, there are also problems with their social positions and responsibilities, but I don¡¯t know exactly when, where and how things will happen. Besides, it was clear that advice would not do much good because father was a person who would run to the capital as soon as he knew that something bad had happened, even if he was outside the capital. Rather, it would be quicker to create a strong territory that could take responsibility for them in case of an emergency. ¡°I wish you could stay in the capital¡­¡± My father said it in a persistent voice, I just smiled and said. ¡°Me being here, won¡¯t be of much help. It has nothing much to do with the ability I have, right? Instead of reversing the situation, all I have is my small body. Or it was enough power to barely protect just the person next to me. ¡°But¡­ if my father is in danger, I¡¯ll run to you at any time.¡± I may not be able to save him until I have given my life, but I was willing to give him some help. I said so without avoiding my father¡¯s eyes, and he nodded. I returned to the office and sat down on my seat. There were piles of documents on the desk that had not yet been processed, and a man could be seen through a wide window beyond. It was my future husband who was busy moving in the garden, trimming trees and flowers. Now that we¡¯re getting married, he doesn¡¯t have to do such chores, but he doesn¡¯t feel comfortable sitting still, and he used to go to the garden every day to help the gardeners. And I moved the office in front of the garden he was in charge of. Sometimes, when I want to tear up the papers and look out the window, it is a daily thing to see Hisch busily moving around. I couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°You look like a pervert.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Sein Borter, one of the loyal vassals of our family and the second son of the Borter family, who had been the blood relatives of the dukes of the past, looked at me with a pathetic expression. ¡°It¡¯s good to think about the happiness of your life while looking at just one person, but now you have to take care of your work, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I just got back from seeing my dad, can¡¯t I take a break?¡± ¡°Do you want to take a rest after reading these papers?¡± A man who knows nothing but work. But this soon is also goodbye. I shrugged my shoulders without answering. ¡°Yeah, yeah, I don¡¯t have much time left to listen to Sein¡¯s complaints anyway. I¡¯ll miss you later, so I¡¯ll listen right now in anticipation.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that? If it¡¯s because you are going to another manor, of course I¡¯m going to follow along, right?¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time to leave work these days because of my luggage clearance. May you consider these matters of your vassal and cooperate so that your work can be finished early.¡± Sein smiled and informed me of the urgent task to be taken care of, and then left the room leisurely. So¡­you¡¯re going to follow me? CH 3 At his shocking remarks, I was stunned holding the documents like a raccoon washing cotton candy, and soon swallowed back tears. Of course, Sein has been a very helpful person to me since I came into this world. And although almost everything was originally Liddell¡¯s, he was the first person I developed a relationship with in this world. So it wasn¡¯t that I didn¡¯t have feelings for Sein, but¡­. Oh¡­ I dreamed of a world where I am the King, where no one nags me. Shitty vassal. It was as if a mother-in-law who had never existed suddenly broke my fantasy. The Kingdom of Klein is a little special. This is because, unlike the nobility of other countries, the country¡¯s high-ranking nobles were made up of powerful men of varying abilities. Although the power has weakened a lot because of the long-standing abilities that have been handed down. I, Liddell Catlan, was one of them. For example, my ability is commonly known as clairvoyance. And in in the following passages of , these talents come together to form a secret association to solve incidents occurring in various parts of the country. I¡¯m not sure if Liddell Catlan belonged to the organization in the original story, but I never wanted to get caught up in that. Therefore, until the mysterious organization was put in place, I had to get away from the capital as soon as possible. With my bunny husband¡­ ¡°Hisch!¡± At my call, a black-haired man looked up for a moment and soon turned around and looked at me. He has a lean but muscular body. His eyes were round and innocent unlike a man of great stature. He looked at me and then smiled brightly and waved. ¡°Liddell¡­¡± He may not be the most handsome man commonly talked about in Ropan*, but he is quite a warm-looking handsome man. I regained my peace of mind and fell into his arms. Hisch stiffened as if surprised, and soon embraced me in his large hands. ¡°How have you been? You were busy today, weren¡¯t you? I should have gone with you¡­I think I left it too much to you.¡± ¡°Liddell¡¯s busy, so I have to do this. But I want to go look at the dress again with Liddell¡­ There were so many pretty dresses, and I thought it would be perfect for Liddell.¡± Yes, yes, I patted him on the back and stroked his head. As the duke¡¯s only direct blood relative, I was usually very busy taking on various duties of the family. So, I was often forced to leave the wedding preparations to Hisch in such a hurry, and it was often heartbreaking that Hisch silently handled the work without a word of resentment. Forgive your unvirtuous wife. Sob sob*. ¡°Let¡¯s make time tomorrow or the day after tomorrow and go together. Did you eat? I think you lost some weight since you¡¯ve worked so hard?¡± ¡°Really? I don¡¯t know¡­ Is it embarrassing to look at?¡± ¡°Aye, Hisch is always cute in my eyes.¡± Hisch was more like a younger brother to me than a lover. He¡¯s a lot taller than me and older than ¡®Liddell Catlan¡¯, but¡­ I feel like I need to take care of him. ¡°¡­Can¡¯t you just say I¡¯m cool?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, you¡¯re cool, you¡¯re cool. Oh, Hisch! You left this behind today.¡± I reached into my outerwear pocket and winked at Hisch as I formed a heart-shape with my hands. ¡°My love!¡± Hisch opened his eyes wide and soon yelled with a red face closing his eyes. ¡°I, I love you too, Liddell!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Sein standing next to me looked at me with contempt. What, man, why. ¡°Now let¡¯s live a quiet life when we go to the country after the ceremony. I already told my father.¡± I asked my father to give me a piece of land that is a little far from the capital but not too close to the border and can afford to live. But I didn¡¯t want to go to a remote place. Usually those places are barren, and especially the border area has a lot to be responsible for, so I don¡¯t like it. My father made a strange expression at my discouraging condition. However, there is no need to be greedy when all of them will collapse like a sand castle due to a disaster. Besides, I thought it would be better to develop it at my disposal because I had a lot of preparation to do in the future. ¡°I love it. I want to spend more and more time with Liddell. ¡± Hisch said shyly. Looking at him, I recalled my old memories. Hisch and I met really by chance. It was the first meeting that I encountered Hisch crying in the corner of the garden. After that, it became a relationship where we sometimes greeted each other, but the more we talked, the better I got to know him. Unlike the residents of this world, his ethics were upright and he was a humble man, perhaps because he was close to the fallen aristocrats. Above all, a man who was big with cuteness and shyness seemed very rare. I must say that I intuitively knew that it was not easy to find a better man than Hisch in this world. So I quickly proposed marriage to him, but¡­.. But no matter how much I think about it, Hisch is not a husband but just¡­ he looked like a really obedient younger brother. If we stay together like this, we could get along like comrades living together for the rest of our lives. ¡°Yes, when it¡¯s over, we¡¯re going to tour our territory for our honeymoon. It¡¯s okay if it takes a month or two.¡± ¡°Can we look around like that? It would take half a year just to get to know the overall situation of the land.¡± ¡°¡­¡± At the sound of Sein¡¯s voice speaking sullenly, I kept my mouth shut. Does this bastard have to tell such a realistic story in this atmosphere? Isn¡¯t his ability to empathize vividly lacking? When I closed my mouth in a straight line, Hisch opened his mouth, not knowing what to do. ¡°I, I¡¯ll help you in any way I can. Don¡¯t make that face, Liddell. ¡± ¡°Well, thank you, Hisch.¡± It¡¯s just that the slow-witted Sein hardened his face because he was annoyed¡­ When you say that, I can¡¯t help but feel better. Aye, I don¡¯t know. Someday, there will be an era where survival is a priority. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be alive until then, or if it¡¯ll happen after I die. How can I prevent or avoid the disasters of the world alone? I promised myself to make several attempts in preparation for the worst. With the responsibility of being a family and taking care of the man in front of me who entrusted me with his life. The days of planning followed and soon the day of the wedding approached. The ceremony was held lightly. My father and brother, who are members of the family, did not say anything about my marriage, but the vassals were so loud that I was able to reduce the size of the celebration. My father was particularly sorry about it, but honestly, Hisch and I have no thoughts about it. Before the ceremony began in earnest, family members came to greet me for the last time. My brother, who has a blunt personality, nodded once after seeing me in the dress, and when he saw Hisch, he frowned a little and returned to his seat. My father returned to his seat only after patting me several times with tears in his eyes, saying that as he gets older, the more often he cries. In addition, it was seen that some of the aristocrats who had personal acquaintances and aristocrats, who were the main clients of the family, attended as guests. On the other hand, despite the fact that it was the marriage of the kingdom¡¯s most prestigious family, the royal family sent only a royal servant instead of attending in person. A letter politely handed over by the royal servant stated congratulations, as well as the title of the estate, which would soon be inherited, and the gift of the right to operate the mine. Yes, even if you do not attend, sincerity can be seen as money. It seemed unlikely that there would be a ceremony for the awarding of the title, but this was the perfect finish to my independence. ¡°Miss. Flowers and a letter have arrived from Miller Florence.¡± While I was busy receiving guests, Sein approached me and said so, and I frowned outright. Miller was my ex-fianc¨¦, the supposed ex-boyfriend. Of course, it was a forced relationship between the families before I possessed this body, but¡­. Anyway, on the day of the wedding, my ex-boyfriend sent me a letter with some flowers. [What is¡­ this¡­?] Is this the Ropan¡¯s version of my ex-boyfriend sending me a message at the wedding? ¡°Burn it.¡± I spoke in a low, steady voice like a ventriloquist and smiled benevolently at the next guest. CH 4 ? ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ {.? ? ?.} ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ? If I had to choose a different person from a place where there were only big hands or high-ranking nobles in the business world, there would be Sein and the person in front of me who is a vassal representative of the Catlan family. ¡°Congratulations, Miss Catlan.¡± ¡°Thank you, Lord Roelich.¡± The brown-haired man looked at me once with a blunt expression on his face, and gave a calm impression, saying, ¡®You are very beautiful today.¡¯ It was a tone that I wanted to ask him to find his soul. Well, maybe he is sincere. He was the second son of Count Roelich, who was rumored to have profound knowledge just like his high-level swordsmanship skills. He pursed his lips for a moment, then soon bowed his head and asked politely. ¡°I heard that you will take over another territory and go there soon.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­that¡¯s what happened.¡± ¡°Are you not coming back to the capital?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ll have to see the situation, but I think I¡¯ll stay in the territory for a while. I¡¯ll have to think about how I will manage my living in the future.¡± At my words, Teddius Roelich nodded with a serious look on his face and soon opened his mouth. ¡°I understand. Then I will see you soon.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡­?¡± You? Me? Why? In spite of my bewildered expression, Lord Roelich said only that and congratulated me once again, and after bowing, he left in a leisurely manner. Indeed, that person is a bit serious¡­¡­ If an acquaintance gets married or goes away, the part where you think you should take the time to visit once¡­ I don¡¯t think there is someone like that. Would anyone really come to see me? But, the other person was Teddius Roelich. It was certain that he would come. After looking at his back in disbelief, a brilliant-looking man with a cane in one hand came into view. The man, too, came up to me with a bright smile as soon as he saw me. ¡°Liddell, I¡¯ve always wondered if drawing a line on a pumpkin could turn it into a watermelon, but you solved that question!¡± That¡¯s a lot of abuse as soon as we met. Callen Ophius. He is a retired knight and, in modern terms, a person equivalent to a minister of administration. To put it simply, he was once a promising knight who had crossed the realm of handling Aura but was badly wounded on the battlefield and retired as it was. He was later recognized for his contributions and is now one of the closest aides to the royal family. And I was once his assistant. Contrary to how he looked, it was a bit difficult to treat him as a superior, but I also became attached to him as we stayed together. And it seemed to be the same for Callen. At the very least, they say that I am retiring because of my marriage, so quitting work just for that reason is a pre-modern way of thinking about wasting manpower. In the end, I remember having a hard time trying to stop him from appealing to the royal family. I did feel a little proud because I wondered if he was satisfied with my work. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen you, and thank you for your heartwarming message, Marquis. Thank you for coming.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your wedding, of course I have to come. I¡¯ll look at the groom¡¯s face once. I have to see what kind of guy steals my most cherished subordinate in vain.¡± And he is still talking about that. I just want to retire. I honestly tremble when I think of the time when I suddenly became his secretary and attendant, asking how he could entrust such a light task to the young girl of the duke family. I¡¯m glad that I¡¯ve been an office worker and had no fear of paperwork. Otherwise, I would have submitted my resignation letter through KaTalk or in writing and would have almost left without notice. ¡°I feel sorry for you, Liddell, and you won¡¯t even stay in the capital. Don¡¯t you feel sorry for your ability to rot when you go to the countryside?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say that, Marquis, I¡¯m not a very talented person, and it¡¯s been my long-cherished dream since I was a child.¡± ¡°Do you expect me to believe that?¡± ¡°I want you to know that my intentions for retirement are so firm that I can even talk like this.¡± When I said that, Callen looked at me with his eyebrows drooping. This man was a man with a look that would make him appear in a romance fantasy, but to be honest, he felt a little weak because he was such a handsome guy. ¡°Is there anything wrong with me? Or was there something you didn¡¯t like? If you tell me, I¡¯ll take good care of you, so can you reconsider your return?¡± Hey, if you were me, wouldn¡¯t you have had a complaint? In the morning, the world changed, and after adapting to the point of mimicking the daughter of a duke family, I was taken to the palace because of the surrounding eyes, and I produced hundreds of documents by hand without a computer. I have to collect the data you throw at me, and go to catch you running away from your schedule. Put your hand on your chest and think in the light of your conscience, what was my complaint and what I didn¡¯t like! ¡­¡­ I could have shouted that, but anyway, today was a good day, so I decided to put up with it. And in fact, it wasn¡¯t just that I had bad memories of the man in front of him. There were times when I felt he was a little pitiful. ¡°¡­¡­ Marquis. A lot of things have happened, but I think having the Marquis is a good experience and an opportunity for me to grow.¡± Thanks to you, I knew that this place was in a novel. Had I not worked in the royal palace, I would not have known the existence of the protagonists of the novel so quickly. In addition, it was a very meaningful time to see how the country roughly worked, and to compare how my company¡¯s bosses in the past and the aristocratic old men here were similar. ¡°So I¡¯m sorry to quit my job so abruptly, but¡­ I hope the Marquis understands as well. Because I love Hisch, the man who will be my husband a lot.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°So I was thinking of spending more time with him. Marriage is an opportunity that came at that time.¡± At my words, which were half right and half false, Callen looked at me silently and soon sighed with regret. ¡°If only that fellow hadn¡¯t taken you away¡­¡± When all my thoughts just before went away, I wanted to kick him out. However, it was fortunate that Marquis Ophius would step aside quietly, seeing some acquaintances come up to me and say hello soon. After that, the wedding ceremony, which took place outdoors, was held without any major problems. It was awkward to think of such sentimental thoughts, but the sky looked clear as if it were blessing us. When the officiant said to make a pledge to love each other and live happily ever after, Hisch cried and said he would. Thanks to this, I was so busy laughing that I burst into tears as I watched my husband cry so much without even feeling the Marriage Blue. In the first place, people who could ruin the atmosphere were not invited, so it was harmonious overall. Especially Hisch¡¯s side, father or brother¡­¡­ Well, other people stabbed me. Weddings are supposed to be fun and it means a lot to the bride and groom. I heard many good things about the delicious food and the pleasant music. I¡¯ve sometimes heard some realistic advice, ¡®The 2nd chapter of life has opened¡¯ or ¡®Life is going to unfold in a completely different way than it has ever been¡¯, but frankly, I haven¡¯t gotten to grips with it yet. However, there will come a time when something really bad happens in the future and I can¡¯t enjoy it of course. I had a hunch that I would miss this moment a little. However, just as I suddenly got into an accident and got into this world, the original ¡®Liddell¡¯ suddenly died of a chronic disease while falling asleep. Events that shake the direction of life always come, and what humans can do is not to worry too much about the future and just not let the present go to waste. So I laughed and celebrated to my heart¡¯s content, and shortly thereafter I boarded a carriage with Hisch on our way to the estate. Dissuading our father to take care of everything, we rushed to our new residence with the servants brought from Catlan¡¯s mansion, a few knights, and a few belongings. The estate I was granted, Ensis, was a small place in the southeast of the kingdom. In fact, it was not a very prosperous place, but it would have been difficult for my father to give me a better land because public opinion within the family would not have been good due to the marriage. As a high-ranking aristocrat, marriage itself should be made for the benefit of the family, but I insisted on marrying with Hisch, saying I would only take care of my greed. But I was very happy with the land I was eventually given. Because Ensis was the place where the male protagonist of the novel I was reading, , accidentally discovered magic stones (???). CH 5 As is often the case with romance novels, misunderstandings and fabrications continue, and Violet, the female protagonist of the series, , ends up running away from the male protagonist, Alan. While traveling across the kingdom to find her, Alan discovers something amazing at the back of the mountain range that divides Ensis. It was a cliff standing majestic at the entrance of the forest, and seeing the scene unfolding there, Alan decides to take this land in the future. This is because the entire rocky cliff was made up of magic stones, stones containing mana. But what a surprise. The land is now in my possession, hahaha! Now that things are like this, I feel like I¡¯m really in the story. Why do I feel like heaven is making arrangements for me? I looked up at the sky and spoke inwardly. Now, are you looking at extras like me? ¡°Liddell¡­¡­? What¡¯s in the sky?¡± Hisch, looking at the idyllic passing countryside scenery, asked me in a puzzled voice. ¡°I want to thank the absolute man of the world for a moment.¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, to God? I didn¡¯t know that Liddell had a religion. To which god did you pray? I will pray together so that Liddell¡¯s wishes come true.¡± ¡°No, I thanked God that my prayers had already been fulfilled. It¡¯s¡­ To thank him for letting me have a lovely, cute husband like you.¡± ¡°Liddell¡­¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sein was like, ¡®Are you crazy?¡¯ and looked at me with a suspicious expression. Ah, why is this bastard next to me every time I get in the mood. Leave our married life alone! Sein, who was in the carriage together, immediately changed the subject by looking at Hisch, who was deeply moved, as if he had given up. ¡°¡­¡­ We¡¯ll be there soon.¡± ¡°Did Sein say that he has been to this place before?¡± ¡°It was a stopover, but I still remember being impressed by the wine I tasted while staying.¡± ¡®Impressed¡¯¡­¡­ Whether it was good or bad. Anyway, the nobles talk too indirectly which is a problem. I thought so as I looked at the side of Sein, who looked so gloomy. One of the knights who was traveling with us knocked on the window and informed us that we were soon arriving at the manor. Despite Sein¡¯s dissuasion that it was dangerous, I stuck out my head and looked over the horizon in the distance. We will be arriving soon. In our new home. The Ensis estate, which was owned by one of the vassals of the Duke of Catlan, was purchased by the duke after the line of succession was cut off, paying compensation to nearby relatives. Since no one wanted to take over the land because it had no special advantages and was laborious to manage, the duke took responsibility and took it over instead. The castle without an owner was old, but it was well maintained. The old butler, who had managed the mansion and estate, seemed to have taken care of it with considerable care. Among the employees who came out to greet our party, the old butler bowed to me with a stern look. ¡°I greet the new lord. Please call me Albert with ease.¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­ ¡­ Albert..¡­ The Duke also said that you have been loyally managing the estate. I¡¯ll get a lot of help.¡± At my words, Albert opened his mouth as if he had waited for me. ¡°I don¡¯t know where to put myself because he even said good things about me, who is of humble origins.¡± Then he suddenly spoke in a determined manner. ¡°But this Albert will show devotion to the lord of the land, so please trust me and rely on me at any time.¡± ¡°Yes¡­..?¡± What did this grandfather say as soon as I met him? ¡°As you know, Ensis is a manor that I have managed alone for a long time.¡± He looked very strict, and he said as he adjusted his glasses. ¡°I¡¯m confident that no one knows this land as well as I do. So, if the Lord just entrusts it to me, I¡¯ll do everything without making any noise, as I¡¯ve always done.¡± Oh my, would you look at this? His words sounded like a check that I should stay idle and relaxed instead of touching any of the groundwork. I felt Sein staring at me with sharp eyes as I asked back, ¡®Yes?¡¯, as if I was having fun. Aye, don¡¯t be so nervous. It would only make us look ridiculous if we tried to heat things up together. Being angry is enough when someone in my class has violated my legitimate interests, and I didn¡¯t feel the need to exhaust my emotions on this insignificant thing. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know anything about this manor. It¡¯s actually the first time I¡¯ve ever managed my own land.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. How much more, the young lord is a woman of noble blood. Just leave all the troublesome work to this old man and you can devote all your time to your family at home comfortably.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. But Albert.¡± ¡°Yes, please speak.¡± ¡°How do I trust you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Albert opened his eyes wide. I smiled casually and opened my mouth. ¡°No, don¡¯t get me wrong. I know you¡¯ve been really good at managing this estate. That¡¯s why I want to ¡®trust¡¯ you. Isn¡¯t it our first time seeing each other today?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t guess your loyalty at first sight, perhaps because I¡¯m not good at seeing people yet, yes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m confident you¡¯ll move for me. I¡¯m not sure whether you¡¯re going to regard me and my family and aides together as my life and treat them as such¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I think we can talk about this and that only after I measure those things. Am I wrong?¡± Albert licked his lips a few times before taking a step back, saying, ¡®I¡¯ll follow your words.¡¯ And him looking at Sein and Hisch briefly made me laugh a little because it felt like he was studying his competitor. ¡°So let¡¯s talk about the complexities later. I just got here, so shouldn¡¯t I unpack and rest a little?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry. I was in a hurry to bring it up, so¡­¡­. I¡¯ll show you to your room. My lord and your husband, this way please. I¡¯ll let him be guided by another servant.¡± Only then did the situation seem to have been settled. When I gave Sein a hint to see me a little later, he bowed his head slightly and saw me off. After that, Albert quietly led us to the lord¡¯s room. Meanwhile, Hisch was contemplating something the whole time. When I poked him in the side, he looked at me with a sheepish expression. ¡°Is there anything that bothers you?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just that. I¡¯m nervous because it¡¯s my first time here.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it soon. You don¡¯t have to be too impatient. As you go through life, you get used to it and become comfortable, whatever it is.¡± Actually, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what he really wanted to say, but¡­ Now, it¡¯s not just the two of us, and Hisch looked strangely depressed, so it was no use asking more. Instead, I opened my mouth as a way to cheer him up. ¡°By the way, when Albert said that he was devoted to the family, it reminded me. Looking forward to tonight, right?¡± It¡¯s no wonder, today is the auspicious first day of sharing a bed with Hisch. Hisch blinked blankly at my words, and soon looked at me with a flushed face. I said with a chuckle. ¡°You¡¯re going to devote yourself to me, right?¡± ¡°Li, Li, Liddell!¡± ¡°¡­¡­We have arrived.¡± Perhaps he was listening to our conversation, Albert said so with a shit-eating expression. I smiled and said thank you, and Albert finally left after saying that he would send people when it was meal time. The room we were guided to was reasonably spacious and luxurious. Compared to the duke¡¯s mansion I had been living in, well, it was on the ordinary side. I still had the sensibility of a modern Korean, so I felt that even this was wide enough. Similar to the old exterior fa?ade, the furnishings in the room looked a bit old, but they were well maintained. At that moment, Hisch staggered toward the sofa that was facing toward the garden. Then he spoke to me without even making eye contact with me. ¡°I, I¡¯ll sleep here.¡± ¡°Eh? Your waist will hurt. How important is the waist to a man¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Liddell!¡± Hisch shouted with a red face. I just laughed because I thought he would start crying if I teased him more. An unfamiliar space, a butler with an unwelcoming attitude, an uncertain future. Considering all this, one thing was certain, seeing that I could laugh at this moment. It wasn¡¯t a bad start for the first time. CH 6 And within a few days I was sitting in the lord¡¯s office. I can¡¯t give a dog¡¯s habit to others. Why can¡¯t I take a rest when I have a land of tens of thousands of pyeong in my name? Come to think of it, I went to a fortune teller¡¯s house before I possessed this body. The owner of the fortune-teller¡¯s shop told me that I would have a steady daily life. I had a reasonable doubt as to whether the fortune was engraved in my soul. Why can¡¯t I take a break even though my body and environment have changed! I grabbed my head and sighed. Because I was reminded of my rabbit-like husband. ¡®Liddell, wasn¡¯t it hard today?¡¯ ¡®Liddell, would you like to eat first?¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s a weekend, so why don¡¯t we go out together?¡¯ Even though I couldn¡¯t relax and adjust to all the rhythms of Hisch, I¡¯m happy that there¡¯s someone around me who looks at me and thinks about me. I felt as if I was personally feeling that happiness is this kind of thing. Yeah. It¡¯s not the time to complain when I have a family to feed. With such determination, I began to sift through the papers in front of me. Shortly after arriving in Ensis, I asked Albert to write a report first to know the internal affairs of the estate. Albert then gave me a look of suspicion as to whether I was going to test him, but at the same time, he obeyed the command and presented the documents I was now examining. Certainly, he was a person who could not be hated at all because his thoughts can be seen on his face and he was more naive than the old men in the capital I was in charge of. At any rate, the current situation in Ensis is, um¡­¡­. It¡¯s neither good nor bad at all. There are no great specialties, nor are tourist attractions developed. Although it was not close to the road leading to a large city, it was a situation in which taxes could be collected to some extent by agriculture. The problem was that there was little left after paying taxes to the royal palace with the collected taxes and paying for land management expenses such as policing and infrastructure management. ¡°There¡¯s nothing special to evaluate. I think I¡¯ll have a hard time because it¡¯s not too distinctive.¡± Sein also gave a bland evaluation. But I have a secret weapon. I immediately summoned Jane and Bethel, the knights who had followed me from the family under my father¡¯s command, to the office. These are the men who made a pledge of loyalty to my father, the Duke, but their relationship with me was not bad either. And since knights usually consider it an important duty to protect their master¡¯s blood relatives, it can be said that they are the most reliable people in this territory right now. ¡°I greet the lord.¡± ¡°I greet the Lord of Ensis.¡± It was awkward when the people who were always referring to me as ¡°Lady¡± suddenly began to show courtesy, calling me lord. I waved my hand and opened my mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t be so polite. I have a favor to ask, have you rested enough since the journey?¡± ¡°If you give us a command, we will always listen to you.¡± I nodded at their resolute words. ¡°From now on, I will select some locations and give you a rough map.You just need to go there and check with Sein to see if there¡¯s anything I¡¯m going to say.¡± Sein¡¯s eyes widened at my words. He said fiercely, narrowing his eyes. ¡°Are you asking me to accompany them?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If I leave your side, the Lord will be left here alone.¡± I laughed at the reaction as if I was raising my hair to be wary of intruders who would invade my territory. ¡°What are you talking about? There¡¯s Hisch, too.¡± ¡°I dare say, but I don¡¯t think Mr. Hisch will be able to help or protect the lord in times like this.¡± ¡°Your words are too much, Sein.¡± I breathed a sigh. To give a brief description about Sein here, the people of the Borter family, to whom he belonged, have had master-servant relationships with the blood relatives of our duke family for generations. When they have completed their proper education, they are to stand by and support the Catlan¡¯s blood, who has become an adult, and in our case it was a little special. It was because of the original body owner, Liddell, who died suddenly. Thanks to her, I was in a very unstable state after she died and took up a new body, and Sein was put in early (?) to take care of me. And he had taken care of me tirelessly to turn me into a sane person who was once out of my mind. Maybe that¡¯s why Sein has tended to overprotect me a bit up until now. Jane and Bethel were watching our conversation with interest. It¡¯s not a show, you guys. ¡°This is not the enemy territory. It¡¯s only a matter of days or weeks. Don¡¯t overreact.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s just simply checking something, Sir Jane and Sir Bethel will suffice.¡± I felt compelled to give a little explanation to move this stubborn man, so I opened my mouth. ¡°¡­¡­ Fine. I was going to tell you when I was sure, but since you¡¯ve talked like that, I¡¯ll tell you in advance. There¡¯s a possibility that there¡¯s a large amount of magic stones asleep in the place I guess.¡± At my word, Sein blinked. Magic Stone was a stone that held mana, a valuable item that was overwhelmingly lacking in supply rather than demand. It was a well-known fact that the higher the grade, the higher the price. It contains mana itself, and even after using all of the mana, it can be recycled by the magicians just by simply filling the mana again, making it a major component used in many magic items. ¡°But on the surface, the magic stone is no different from just a normal stone. So you have to check the flow of the mana. If I order someone I don¡¯t trust, there¡¯s a possibility that they¡¯ll falsely report it or leak the information.¡± I turned to the three men and opened my mouth. ¡°You guys here are the people I trust after Hisch. That¡¯s why I can only entrust the job to you. You know what I mean?¡± ¡°We take the command.¡± Jane and Bethel bowed their heads in gratitude with smiles as if it was an undeserved compliment, but Sein still had a stiff face. ¡°How does the lord know that there is a magic stone here¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± As I stared at him as if not to answer, Sein sighed. ¡°¡­¡­ All right. But, my lord, it will not be too late to first grasp the internal affairs and then check them out.¡± ¡°Well¡­.¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long since I arrived here. At least give me some time until I can leave a trustworthy person by the side of the Lord with my own eyes.¡± Sein talked almost pleadingly. I know he cares about me, and I know he¡¯s in a position to say that, but¡­ When my expression was not straightened out, Sein finally asked. ¡°Or is there any reason why you are moving things forward in such a hurry?¡± There was only one driving force behind my actions. The destruction of the world that will soon come. Well¡­¡­ A sequel would have come out because it hadn¡¯t actually perished, but in any case, something unusual must have happened. But when it¡¯s gonna happen, how it¡¯s gonna happen, and where it¡¯s gonna happen. I was rather anxious because I knew nothing. If I had known this would happen, I would not have waited until payday to read the sequel¡­¡­ It is too late to regret it. Anyway, I had to make this land a safe place before it happens. To protect my people and my husband whom I have chosen to take responsibility for for the rest of my life. ¡°This¡­¡­ Actually.¡± However, it is not possible to bring this situation straight out of my mouth. I desperately wracked my brain, and soon opened my mouth with a determined look. ¡°I¡­ ¡­ I want to be acknowledged as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Acknowledge? To whom?¡± ¡°Think about it. I can understand Albert being harsh on me. I understand Albert¡¯s petulant treatment of me. Anyone will worry if the estate they live in suddenly falls into the hands of a young woman. I want to give them peace of mind.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I am now in a position to lead someone. I am also responsible for the family. So, I thought that if I showed my abilities, everyone would be able to trust me¡­ ¡­ .¡± As I began to give a lame excuse, Sein called to me as if restraining me. ¡°My Lord.¡± ¡°To be honest, I¡­¡­ I am worried about whether I will be able to do well on my own.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Lady¡­ No, there is no way the Lord could not manage such a small estate.¡± Sein said with a serious look. Where the hell does this guy¡¯s infinite trust in me come from? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever shown the ability to do this¡­¡­ No, if you think about it, the eldest daughter of the Borter family, Roselia, who was attached to my brother, was also a considerable fool. Perhaps the Borter family is providing brainwashing education that blindly follows Catlan. I think it¡¯s a reasonable suspicion. In any case, I continued calmly. ¡°Well, anyway¡­ Of course, it¡¯s good to take the time to build trust consistently, but in the end, it¡¯s the surest and quickest way to get results.¡± I chose my words desperately to give him a reason that could easily convince him. ¡°In such a situation, if I found magic stones that could be a boon to the finances, I wondered what could be better in this estate than that.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s hasty to send my one and only aide away in this situation, but¡­¡­¡­ Can¡¯t you give me some strength?¡± CH 7 This is going to work. Sein was silent for a moment at the words I had somehow squeezed out. Jane and Bethel also looked at me with a slightly stiff expression, although I don¡¯t know why. Sein then opened his mouth. ¡°¡­¡­5 days.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°If you give me that amount of time, even if the expected site you mentioned is far from the end of the territory, I will check it with my own eyes and return as soon as possible.¡± You don¡¯t have to be in such a hurry.¡­. No, there are a lot of unknown people here, but there is no need to be so wary. Of course, as you go into the countryside, the security is worse compared to the capital, and there are cases where people are killed without the local officials knowing it¡­¡­ Still, I am the daughter of Catlan. How can they handle the aftermath of treating me recklessly? I wanted to say that, but for some reason, the knights in front of me nodded their heads with determination, so I decided to just keep a serious look on my face. Oh, I don¡¯t know. It does not matter how you go, as long as you go to Seoul¡­ ¡°But before I leave, I will give you an artifact. So that you can use it in case you need my opinion or in an emergency¡­¡­ Please allow me this.¡± Is it like a walkie-talkie? I asked, scratching my head. ¡°Did we have something like that?¡± Then Sein said, lowering his head with a determined expression. ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you on the day before I leave.¡± Are you saying you¡¯re going to make it now? Are you thinking of staying up all night again, you bastard. I looked with pity at Sein, who must have been a handsome engineering student if he had been a modern student. On the other hand, Hisch, Ensis¡¯ reliable host, has been troubled lately. The reason is that it was quite embarrassing to write a reply to the letters coming in from the neighboring estates. Since Hisch is suffering from the worries, I had Sein secretly steal some letters and read them, and the contents were a true spectacle. Well, to summarize. [It¡¯s hard for precious people who lived in the capital to come and live here, isn¡¯t it? Oh my, how did you come down to a place like this? Have you been left out by the family?] [I heard that a young lady from a small family is the lord. Isn¡¯t it strange that a woman is the lord? By the way, there is one of our nephews who is an idler but has a decent face, how about a second one?] [I mean, I¡¯m a native who¡¯s been living in this area for 5 generations! So, I want to visit you sometime and give you some advice, but when do you have time?] ¡­¡­ Letters of the like are coming in a cultured style peculiar to the aristocracy. Even though Hisch didn¡¯t say anything, his expression was getting worse and worse, and I was sad that I couldn¡¯t speak hastily to him at all. Unless Hisch asks for help first, because it could hurt his pride and self-esteem if I stepped up and did something without letting him know. But my cute husband¡¯s face darkened by the day, and it just hurt my heart¡­¡­. I sighed deeply and looked at Hisch, who was tearing a loaf of bread like a rag. It was the worst atrocity of the aristocracy¡¯s dining etiquette, but¡­¡­. Except for the servants around, there are only me and Hisch here, so I thought it would be okay. ¡°Hisch.¡± I took my luck trying to sound as sweet as I could. ¡°Are you having a hard time these days?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ No, Liddell. I just haven¡¯t gotten used to the new place yet..¡­.¡± It seems like he doesn¡¯t have another excuse and just said the excuse he has already used once. For your information, Hisch eventually broke his stubbornness and started sleeping in one bed with me, but cutely, he set up a wall in the middle of the bed with a long pillow and begged me not to cross over here. Hooo¡­.. At this rate, I¡¯m going to come at you first. As I looked at Hisch without hiding my worried eyes, he sighed again. ¡°¡­¡­I want to be of help to you, not to worry you.¡± ¡°Hisch¡­ Hisch and I are family now. One doesn¡¯t have to be helpful or useful to the other person, right? That¡¯s what a family is.¡± ¡°But¡­¡­¡± ¡°Yes, I understand what Hisch is saying. Because I always think that I want to be a strength to Hisch, too. Then I¡¯ll just say it like this.¡± I put down the tableware I was holding and said firmly. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t care what other people see or think of us. But, if you or I are consumed by those things and it damages our health, it would be even more hurtful.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°So don¡¯t overdo it thinking that you should do well. Let¡¯s just do our best in our position and try to live a happy life.¡± ¡°Liddell¡­¡­¡± ¡°You know what I¡¯m talking about, right?¡± At my words, Hisch looked at me with tearful eyes and then nodded. Ugh, how do you have such a pure heart. As expected, I must always protect Hisch. I coughed a few times to lighten the mood a little and then opened my mouth. ¡°And I wish Hisch had focused a little more on me rather than having to bother with something weird.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡­? Did you think I wasn¡¯t focused on you¡­..?¡± Hisch¡¯s shocked voice seemed to create only a misunderstanding, so I hurriedly added the words. ¡°No, we¡¯re married now. But don¡¯t you think we¡¯ve never been able to act like a married couple since we came here? First, let¡¯s take that wall off our bed.¡± ¡°That¡­¡­¡± ¡°Hold my hand a little. If you¡¯re bored, give me a little kiss. Oh, that¡¯s right. Let¡¯s change our names from now on. I¡¯m going to have to call Hisch honey now.¡± ¡°Yes?!¡± ¡°Honey, don¡¯t worry about useless things and just eat a hearty meal. That way, we will live today as well. It¡¯s all about eating and living.¡± When I talked with a mischievous smile, Hisch, whose face turned red, bowed his head and began to poke the innocent meat with a fork. If Sein was next to me, he might have been dissatisfied and would nag. But I couldn¡¯t help but notice the people around me who were in agony or distress. A person doesn¡¯t need a lot of words in his/her life, but there are moments when someone has something that he/she wants to hear. Even if those words you spit out are not 100% pure sincerity in the person¡¯s mind. I liked the faces of people who felt more comfortable when I talked about things like that. Wouldn¡¯t it be nice to spend time together as long as each other is happy and having fun? Soon after he ate a piece of meat he had been playing around with, Hisch opened his eyes and said it was delicious, which made me feel more at ease. So I smiled at him as well. Today, I decided to meet the one and only knight of the territory. After the disappearance of the lord of the territory, all the loyal knights were scattered. Finally, I heard that a lone young man who had been granted knighthood was guarding the territory. When I first heard the story, I thought he was quite commendable, but the people around him didn¡¯t seem to think so. I should have noticed it then. Looking at the man sleeping with his mouth open even though the sun rose in the middle of the sky, I tried to talk to him. ¡°Sir Gran?¡± Zzzzz zzzzz¡­ ¡°Sir Gran Oswald?¡± Zzzzz zzzzz zzzzz¡­ This is good*. I said with a clench. ¡°Pour it.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± As soon as my instructions fell, a servant standing next to me poured water on the man¡¯s mouth, which was wide open. I frowned slightly at his quite painful scream, and soon the scruffy, wretched man jumped up and started pointing his finger at the servant. ¡°Hey! Is it too much for a person to sleep! Even if I torture you, I won¡¯t do it like this!¡± ¡°See who you are raising your voice to!¡± ¡°Who are you in my presence?!¡± A knight who¡¯s angry with his blood vessels visible on his neck¡­¡­ It¡¯s kind of amazing to see a guy like him because I¡¯ve only seen people in the capital who tremble. Even the knights of the family, Lord Jane and Lord Bethel, who was not far away, would flag him if they saw the attitude of the man in front of me. After a long argument, the servant finally introduced me as the new lord, and the man turned to me. The man¡¯s eyes were dark green. As if it contained a part of the forest. ¡°¡­¡­ A woman?¡± Aside from having pretty eyes, the impression is common. I opened my mouth, ignoring the voice of the man who was muttering in surprise, probably thinking I wouldn¡¯t be able to hear it. ¡°Sir Oswald. Right? So, did you get a good sleep? It takes a lot of effort to eat and not fall asleep straight away in this weather.¡± As if he had just come to his senses at my words, Gran politely adjusted his posture and scratched his head with one hand. ¡°Oh, you are indeed the Lord, and you understand the hearts of the subordinates well. Hahaha.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen anyone sleeping on my way here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Gran Oswald. It¡¯s an honor to meet you, my lord.¡± Viscount Oswald¡¯s eldest son¡­.. Similar to Hisch, he¡¯s from a noble descent, but was almost a commoner man. But nevertheless, even that empty bloodline was the background needed to become a knight in such a rural area. The man bowed his head with a servile smile. I was able to find out why the people around me had a bad impression of him without mixing ten words. CH 8 I opened my mouth again towards him as I was looking around at the Knights¡¯ ground, where there was only a slight trace of use and apparently the management had abandoned it. ¡°Right, you¡¯re the only remaining knight of the territory, aren¡¯t you? It must have been hard to manage the Territory Knights¡¯ duties alone.¡± ¡°Oh, no. As the last remaining knight here, I am merely fulfilling my duty.¡± There is not even the slightest sense of guilt in the face that speaks with a smile. Although the Territory Knights must have been managed not by him, but by the butler, Albert. I saw Gran¡¯s sword dangling because it didn¡¯t fit properly at his waist, and then looked around the unmanaged armory. And then I thought a little bit about his sincerity and was able to make a decision without worrying. Aye, I was a little curious. Is the last remaining knight a possessor of a great skill that is often seen in novels and is hiding in a rural territory. As a heavy reader of fantasy novels in the past, I had some expectations, but it didn¡¯t seem to happen at all. ¡°Well, I appreciate your hard work so far. Then I will write you a letter of recommendation, so I hope you will look elsewhere.¡± We thank you for the dedication and hard work you have given us so far, and wish you all the best in the future, even if you walk a different path. At my dismissal remarks, Gran gave a shocked look with his mouth wide open. Then he fell on his feet, ready to grab my pants. ¡°Lord! How could you say such harsh words to me, who devoted my whole life to Ensis!¡± At most he looks like he¡¯s in his early to mid 30s, a whole life is bullsh**. ¡°I haven¡¯t even shown you the entirety of my loyalty yet! How can you throw me away so easily!¡± ¡°No, did you think I¡¯d accept someone who is sleeping at work?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ That¡¯s¡­¡­ no, but still! It is an undeniable fact that I have worked hard as the only knight in the territory. Above all else, I am the only knight, so what are you going to do? Who do you plan to entrust to command the Territory Knights?¡± Well, Sein seems to know things about tactics. Because he¡¯s like a shallow, wide encyclopedia. I thought deeply and looked at the man with earnest eyes. ¡°Then are you willing to swear allegiance to me?¡± ¡°Of course, my lord. I will offer my allegiance with all my heart!¡± As I looked at Gran, who was pounding his chest as he said so, I remembered the image of one of the best knights in the capital. Teddius Roelich. That rigid man was one of the few characters in that I was able to get close to. In fact, even when I first heard his name, he was a character of so little importance that I could not immediately recognize whether he was a character in a novel. This is because Teddius was a supporting role in what is often called a decoy. His brother was the sub male protagonist in the novel , and Teddius saw his normally well-behaved older brother fall in love and not knowing what to do, he just supported and stood by his side, wondering ¡®I¡¯ve never seen my brother like this before¡¯. In addition, the role of cheering while looking at his older brother, who possesses immense power, saying, ¡®I don¡¯t think I can ever surpass him.¡¯ A role that appears as a cute little brother to highlight the responsibility of the sub male protagonist. I think it was only when I looked at Tedious that I realized that this is a fictional world, but at the same time it is a real reality. He was so flat that I thought he was a character who only spits out words that someone intended to say. In fact, he had many thoughts, and he had very humane worries and an inferiority complex. Because he used to speak out his beliefs to me with straight eyes. ¡°¡­ ¡­ I didn¡¯t know that a knight¡¯s loyalty could be taken so lightly. Mostly the only knight I understand is that they always tell me that loyalty is a lifelong pledge and that you find something of value for yourself and risk everything you have to protect it.¡± At my words, the scarlet-haired man gave a moment of bewilderment, and then he immediately opened his mouth with a chuckle. ¡°Well, each person has a different view¡­¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, it doesn¡¯t really matter. Sir is right. Since there is a shortage of manpower, we can leave at least one on the territory.¡± I glanced up and down at Gran. In the smiling eyes of the man who was sitting on his knees, my figure trembled unsteadily. A character such as an extra who was not illuminated in the novel was also the main character in his life. But if the man in front of you wants to leave behind all that glory and remain as a supporting role for someone, well. ¡°If you just want to be satisfied with that, then do whatever you want.¡± The man opened his eyes wide. However, I just smiled lightly and turned my back because I didn¡¯t think I would have anything more I wanted to say or time for him. Albert has been out of his mind lately. Ensis was the territory where he was born and raised. Moreover, Albert was even a servant to the last blood of the Wayne family, the original owner of the territory. Even when the family line was cut off and the seat of the owner was vacant, he alone managed the territory with all his heart. For this reason, Albert¡¯s attachment to Ensis was bound to be great. The one who knows this territory best is himself, and it is he who is more devoted than anyone else to this land. There was such pride, that is. But one day, a letter came from the Duke stating that the young lady had inherited the Ensis. It was an added bonus that even though she was originally a blood relative of the duke and had to fulfill her duties, she was stubbornly insistent on marrying the person she loved, and he even heard rumors that she was almost expelled from the family. Albert thought that he could not entrust this estate he had been protecting all his life to such an immature princess. His fighting spirit was burning like that until Liddell came to Ensis. In addition, Liddell Catlan, whom he met in person, seemed in some ways a woman worthy of the rumors. Because if you strip off the title of being the daughter of a duke, one of the few in the kingdom, she was just a pretty, big girl. He didn¡¯t feel so upset when he saw her, but¡­¡­. She said she needs someone she can trust. Rather than borrowing someone else¡¯s hand, the lord gradually began to take care of most of the affairs of the territory on her own. It was also terrible that there were more and more things that he did not know about the Ensis he had devoted his whole life to, but there was something else that bothered him the most. It was a debt that secured the territory as collateral. It wasn¡¯t a debt he owed specifically to satisfy his personal greed. Ensis, whose finances were unstable, suffered the worst famine in the history of the territory a few years ago. At that time, he borrowed money based on the goodwill of the neighboring territories, but at the time of borrowing, the nobles, who treated Albert like a lord, changed their attitude and began to brush him off like a debt-ridden man. Thanks to this, Albert was sweating hard these days, secretly picking out letters urging him to pay off debts. Of course, it was easy to find if you looked through the ledger. The lord, who had just arrived, and the vassals who were attached to her had not questioned him yet as they were busy with other things. But at the same time, he was also resentful. If the lord had trusted him and left everything to him, he would have been able to pay off all his debts as if nothing had happened. As such, he was walking while grunting today, and a servant from somewhere rushed to him and bowed his head politely. ¡°Butler Albert. A stranger is knocking on the gate, what should I do?¡± Albert, who was biting his lips, frowned. ¡°Who is it that you report to me? If it¡¯s a beggar, you can just give him some food and kick him out.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s¡­¡± The servant bowed his head as if in trouble. As Albert said, if his way of life was poor or if he had shown a servile attitude, he would have done things in his own line, too. But the man the servant saw was different. He recalled the figure of the man waiting at the door of the mansion by now. He was tall, with wide shoulders and a straight body. On top of that, as is common with travelers, he may have been covered with dust, but he was dressed in expensive clothings. The low sunken red eyes of a man with brown hair, and the voice that quietly wants to see the lord. It seemed to reveal the presence of an unusual man. Most of all, the man had a surname. The servant bowed his head lower and opened his mouth. ¡°He is¡­¡­ a knight equipped with a sword.¡± Soon a message came from Sein, who had gone to carry out the order, even though he did not like it. He said that they found a rocky cliff full of magic stones in one of the candidate sites that I had selected based on the information I gave him. The quality is also said to be of the highest level. Of course, it was something I already knew from reading the book, but I couldn¡¯t contain my excitement at the news that I would soon become a billionaire. I walked around the castle with a sullen face, and the servants seemed to think I was a little strange, but who cares. Sein has expressed the opinion that it is better to send a specialist for accurate investigation, and has conveyed his opinion that he recommends the top of Firenze as a client to distribute magic stones. I¡¯m sure a lot of people have forgotten, but for your information, Miller Firenze is my ex-fiance. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I¡¯m in a very bad mood. CH 9 And I felt resentful that no matter how hard I roll my head, I couldn¡¯t find a business that was as big as his. There are many businesses with low margins or wide distribution networks, but it was the only place that had the skills to buy and resell these expensive magic stones in bulk. No¡­¡­ Even so. In front of the crystal ball, I rested my forehead on my interlaced hands with an anguished look on my face. No matter how pathetic he is to send flowers and letters to the wedding, there¡¯s no way he can¡¯t distinguish between public and private life. With that in mind, I sent a letter to the top of Firenze requesting a formal transaction, and immediately received the following reply. If you leave out the words mixed with greetings, the key content was as follows. [The letter was well received. If the amount is as delivered, I think it will be necessary to have a conversation with the top shareholder before writing the contract.] As soon as I got the reply, I was a little suspicious. Don¡¯t tell me this has Miller¡¯s influence in it? This isn¡¯t the bad sign of using this as a pretext to see the face of the ex-girlfriend who got married, is it? I took a deep breath. Whew, right. Maybe I¡¯m being overly self-conscious. It¡¯s actually a huge amount of magic stones. It is not strange for the highest approval authority to come out personally. In addition, Miller and Liddell were actually only in a politically engaged relationship set by the family, but the past of the two that I later found out was too harsh to be called lovers. I looked up at the flashing crystal ball while waiting for a response. And after cheering myself once, I activated the crystal ball without hesitation. Soon, the figure of a blond man was projected against the backdrop of a luxurious office. He opened his mouth with a smirk on his face. [Huh, you abandoned our engagement just like that and got married to a guy I had never heard of. It looks like you need my help after all? You are a helpless woman¡­¡­] ¡°No, it¡¯s not~¡± Click. I decided to disconnect, looking at the crystal ball. Rather than entrusting the deal to this guy, it would be better to talk with another boss even if I lose money. Phew, I wasted my time for no reason. In the midst of such determination, the crystal ball began to flash loudly again. Take this or not? My face was wrinkled as if I was just looking without answering the endless calls from a complainant. Even after waiting a few minutes, the crystal ball did not stop flashing. I took a deep breath and connected the crystal ball again. In the same background as before, this time a blond man was staring at the screen furiously with a reddish face. [Why did you disconnect so rudely when a person is talking!] ¡°No, the lord above said something strange. Like you can¡¯t distinguish between public and private life¡­¡­¡± [¡­¡­.] Miller shut his mouth and blushed even more at my words. Therefore, do it well so you don¡¯t get embarrassed, you bastard. ¡°Is it Miller Firenze, the top shareholder of Firenze that I¡¯m in touch with right now?¡± [¡­¡­.] ¡°Knock knock? Hello? Is the connection bad? Should I just hang up?¡± [Oh, no! That¡¯s right. I¡¯m Miller Firenze.] ¡°I see, I see. I guess you haven¡¯t had a lot of consultations with business partners, because our high-ranking Lord is so young. I understand. You¡¯re starting a conversation with your business partner with this public example? I really don¡¯t want to say it myself. You know what I mean, right?¡± [¡­¡­.] ¡°Answer.¡± [¡­¡­Yes.] I then said with a satisfied smile. ¡°As I said in the letter, I¡¯m contacting you because I found a fairly good quality Magic Stones on our territory. There¡¯s no other business that can match Firenze when it comes to the distribution of magic-related products.¡± Miller¡¯s eyebrows flinched a little when I made a complimentary remark. You¡¯re still weak in compliments, kid. Hahaha. [¡­¡­ You¡­¡­ The lord knew it too, so you must have contacted me. Originally, I wouldn¡¯t have received a letter for half a year.] What do you mean half a year, I was going to stop talking to you for the rest of my life¡­¡­. I shrugged without saying a word. Miller also opened his mouth again with the face of a head who leads an organization. [In any case¡­¡­ I¡¯ve never even heard of a rumor that a magic stone is buried in Ensis. It¡¯s also equivalent to the size of a cliff. Isn¡¯t it strange that it didn¡¯t even make a rumor even though it was so conspicuous?] ¡°It¡¯s on the back of a dense mountain range, so it¡¯s a place where locals aren¡¯t even close.¡± [Then how did the lord know that?] ¡°Passing by.¡± [¡­¡­.] ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Miller looked at me wondering why I was passing by when the locals didn¡¯t even come close, but I looked at him with a brazen face. Miller sighed first at my nonchalant face. [Yes well, I didn¡¯t think Catlan¡¯s topic of intelligence is suitable for this position. For some reason, I thought that they gave a barren territory to their daughter, whom they value so much.] He talks as if the duke already knows this fact, and he¡¯s saying it in a hushed tone, but if my father finds out that I¡¯ve found a magic stone like this here, he might fall over in his office chair. Miller said, leaning his back on the chair. [It seems that it is necessary to verify that the information written in the letter is accurate. I acknowledge Sein Borter¡¯s judgment, but I don¡¯t think he would be better rated than the scholar who studied Magic Stone.] ¡°You are absolutely right. If you send us a scholar with a solid certificate to prove that he is a person from the top, we will guide him to the fullest extent.¡± [You don¡¯t have to. Someone who doesn¡¯t need a proof plaque will go.] ¡°Who?¡± [That¡¯s me.] I frowned at his words. This kid is crossing the line again. At my expression, Miller opened his mouth as if making an excuse. [If I really believe the exaggeration written in the letter, it would be enough to affect the market. I am also in a position to make decisions as a top shareholder, such as supply and demand plans in the future¡­¡­.] ¡°Yeah, I see. I didn¡¯t say anything? You can do as you please.¡± I cursed with my face, but I didn¡¯t say it out loud, so just let it go. It wasn¡¯t that I didn¡¯t understand Miller at all. When I said that, Miller coughed a few times and buried his back deep in the chair again. [I¡¯ll let you know the schedule as soon as possible. Then.] And as if to take revenge on the fact that I disconnected the crystal ball in the middle a while ago, he just uttered those words and this time he disconnected the connection first. Petty guy. I sighed once more and brushed my face with my hands. Of course, it is right to distinguish between public and private life. In this situation, it was most reasonable to contact Miller, so I took the advice of Sein and contacted the top of Firenze. Still, I was a little worried about how Hisch would take the fact that my ex-fiance was visiting the territory. But it should be fine. I have no feelings for Miller, and this is purely to sell things¡­¡­ With a tired expression that I could feel myself, I reached out for the teacup that had now cooled down, and at the same time, someone politely knocked on the door from outside. ¡°Lord, this is Albert.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Well. What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked in a voice that did not hide my fatigue. And taking a sip of the tea, Albert raised his voice calmly outside the door. ¡°A knight named Teddius Roelich wants an audience with the lord in order to pledge allegiance.¡± Ptui! I spat out the tea I was drinking and fortunately I did not let Albert into the room. The royal family did not neglect the mysterious phenomena occurring simultaneously in various parts of the kingdom. This is because the 16-year-old prince, who is taking the place of the ill king, did not take the suffering of the people in vain because of his unique good nature. Thanks to this, it was those who were in the closest position to the royal family who were trying to resolve the situation in a hurry. These are the founding families, including the Duke of Levitea. One of them, the Duke of Catlan, was also welcoming a young guest because of this incident. The young man quietly drinking tea across from him was named Esdelle Ophius, who had just turned 18. He was also the nephew and adopted son of Liddell¡¯s boss, Callen Ophius, who is now a pivotal figure as the prince¡¯s hands and feet. A wide map of the world was spread out between them. The Duke of Catlan carefully calculated the scale, measured the distance from the position specified by Esdelle, and then odded. ¡°It¡¯s a distance that is within sight of my daughter.¡± In every phenomenon there is bound to be a flow. The royal family mobilized some wizards to trace the flow of mana to dig out the source of this mysterious phenomenon, and had selected several significant sources that could have caused the phenomenon. They were either beyond the borders of the kingdom, in the middle of the continent, or in the peninsula across the sea. If Catlan¡¯s eldest daughter had the mysterious power, she would be able to check what was there without having to send anyone. ¡°I¡¯ll be in touch with you soon. It¡¯s a pity that she is in the countryside and we can¡¯t see the results anytime soon.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a saying that the more urgent you are, the more careful you are, and it¡¯s not an urgent situation, so there is no need to rush.¡± Esdelle said with a pretty smile. ¡°By the way, I was a little worried that I couldn¡¯t attend Lady Catlan¡¯s wedding. I¡¯m looking forward to seeing the Lady after a long time.¡± CH 10 On the other hand, the Duke of Catlan looked somewhat sullen at his words. ¡°She has changed.¡± ¡°Oh, what do you mean?¡± ¡°Now she¡¯s showing off that she has set up her own family. She hasn¡¯t informed the family. If she had arrived there safely. What if something happened, and in one week¡­¡­ No, shouldn¡¯t she contact us at least once a week?¡± Esdelle laughed at the duke¡¯s grunt, saying that raising children was useless. It¡¯s good to be on good terms with your family. ¡°Now, the duke must also become independent from your daughter.¡± It wasn¡¯t something an 18-year-old would say to a man who was close to old age, but Esdelle¡¯s abilities and his mysterious atmosphere always offset the sense of incongruity. The duke snorted and turned his head, then opened his mouth again as if puzzled seeing Esdelle continuing to laugh. ¡°By the way, were you and my daughter that close? You look pretty happy.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­ Well. I didn¡¯t get along well with Lady Catlan because of the age difference, but she was always someone I admired.¡± Esdelle laughed. ¡°More than anything, I laughed because I remembered my uncle. ¡­¡­I¡¯m sure that if he hears the news of the Lady coming to the capital, he will be very happy.¡± Teddius Roelich, who told me on the wedding day that he would see me soon. My reaction to that? Oh, this person will surely come someday. I thought so. It¡¯s because he wasn¡¯t the type of guy who uttered words in vain. So it would not have been surprising if Sir Roelich¡¯s visit was only for the purpose of visiting. Just a little early? It was considered that much, but it was not enough to spit out tea as if replenishing moisture in the air. Before I knew it, Sein quietly prepared tea and set the cup down in front of Teddius. I looked at the man sitting across from me with a burdened look. As a person who uses physical strength, his body is muscular. The straightened waist and the eyes looking straight at me seemed to show the man¡¯s character. I was worried. How old is Albert? Isn¡¯t he just hard of hearing? Maybe the man in front of me was just passing by and came here. Whether it is a pledge of allegiance or not, it may be nothing more than Albert¡¯s misunderstanding because the knight is knocking on the door. After all the arrangements, Sein stood quietly next to me and guarded my back. I tried to open my mouth pretending to be relaxed. ¡°Sir Roelich, it¡¯s been a while. I didn¡¯t expect to see you soon¡­¡­ in this way.¡± To be honest, I really didn¡¯t expect to see this guy until next year by chance at a social party or something. Teddius bowed his head politely. ¡°I¡¯m rather sorry for coming so late.¡± Oh, no! You¡¯re not supposed to turn it around and take the blame! I think you came really fast! I pretended to be calm and reached for the teacup in front of me. Of course, I had no intention of drinking it. It was because I had no intention of spraying water on the man in front of me. ¡°No, well. What do you have to apologize for? Anyway, what are you doing here? Did you receive any Knight¡¯s missions nearby?¡± To the words I spit out to escape from reality, Teddius responded in a simple and brief way. ¡°I resigned from the Order of Knights.¡± What? ¡°What?¡± Without realizing it, my thoughts and words coincided. But what kind of Knight was the man in front of me? The first Order of the Knight which is made up of only the elites wherein the Royal Knights can¡¯t even cross the threshold with just any skill. Among them, Teddius Roelich was one of the knights expected to become the prince¡¯s entourage. In other words, he was a talented person who could have become the next king¡¯s closest aide. Oh my, what a waste! What a waste! Sein was looking at me with a pathetic expression as I frowned because I was so sorry for the opportunity. No, but then, if I had been a relative who had even a little bit of blood connection with this person, I would have had a great opportunity to smack him on the back. ¡°No, why? Do you have a problem? Are you going to inherit the family? What about your brother¡­¡­¡± At my words, the brown-haired man quietly shook his head. ¡°My brother is in good health, and I have no intention of inheriting the family.¡± Then what. When I looked at him with eyes asking why, the man spoke calmly. ¡°I came here because I wanted to offer my allegiance to the lord.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Swallowing tears in my heart that my territory¡¯s butler¡¯s hearing was correct, I calmly put the teacup back in front of me before I spilled it. ¡°Sir¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Honestly¡­¡­it¡¯s burdensome.¡± The man didn¡¯t panic at my words and bowed even more. I swept through my head, going back to the time when I was an assistant to the old Marquis of Ophius, when I had talked with him a little more informally, and said. ¡°Do you know what opportunity Sir just lost to come here? What did the family say?¡± ¡°They said they would respect my decision.¡± What the hell do you believe in me and entrust me with your precious son. I closed my eyes, rubbing my temples. ¡°So¡­¡­ You came here after giving up your knighthood in the royal palace to become a knight of Ensis.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. To be your knight.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I didn¡¯t know that Sir thought of me that much.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just my little loyalty that you don¡¯t have to count on in the future.¡± No, it¡¯s in front of my eyes, how can I not count on it. Are you kidding me? Teddius slowly opened his mouth, knowing that my eyes would not persuade him easily. ¡°Without the Lord, I would have given up on my career as a knight. Whatever would have happened, when I thought of grabbing the sword again, I had already decided to give my loyalty to the lord. It¡¯s just that, before you got married, I couldn¡¯t tell you because the lord didn¡¯t have the qualification to gather knights.¡± When did I build such a great salvation story? ¡°Even so, it is too sudden, Sir. To be honest, I don¡¯t even know what Sir sees in me to say that.¡± When the Marquis of Ophius entered and exited the palace, I sometimes had time to spare, so I stopped by the Knights and talked to Teddius. Because he was also one of the few original characters that I could easily meet. Besides, he was practicing alone while sweating profusely, falling apart from the other knights, so how could I not have spoken to him with that personality? That¡¯s really all it was. But how does that little favor come back like this? It was even too burdensome to say that I was the one who took the lump sum of money that the main character had spit on without any conscience. Besides, what kind of person is the man in front of me? He was the man who instilled me with a fearful story about the loyalty of a knight. I never thought I had become a person enough to accept such feelings. I opened my mouth as I looked at Teddius, whose expression was still unwavering despite my words. ¡°Did you reveal your reasons for quitting the Order of Knights?¡± ¡°Not in detail, but yes.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ It¡¯s obvious how the rumors spread in the capital. A novel must have already been sold with me and my husband¡¯s story.¡± At my helpless words, Teddius finally had a look of bewilderment on his face. Phew, that was it. It¡¯s already spilled water. However, I don¡¯t know what the man in front of me was thinking about wanting to tie me on a leash, but it seemed like it would be too much of a loss for Sir Roelich if it were this way. As I was contemplating how to talk about this, Sein, who was listening to our conversation, bowed his head. ¡°Lord, may I say something?¡± ¡°What.¡± ¡°Sir Roelich¡¯s disposition is something that I have heard and know very well. Even if the Lord here rejects Sir Roelich, I know that he will not easily change his mind.¡± What¡¯s wrong with him again? When I looked up, Sein said with a smile. ¡°In addition, our territory is currently lacking in knights. The Lord worried about it until a while ago. I think it¡¯s a good opportunity.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I will do my best to be helpful to the Lord.¡± No, what¡¯s wrong with you guys. With the Sein joining in, the two men are now in a state of pestering me. Am I refusing this for my own self-interest? Rather, I am conscientiously recommending that you reconsider your wrong choices for the sake of a brilliant knight¡¯s career right in front of you! This insignificant territory, and I who has just been appointed. What¡¯s the use of having a lord who has no skills or talents as his master. Rather, I don¡¯t know if this place will become the grave of life¡­¡­ ¡°¡­¡­I think Sir Roelich should show his talents on a bigger stage.¡± As I struggled to say that, Sein let out a deep sigh as if I was a foolish child. ¡°Lord. It would be rude to ignore Sir Roelich¡¯s sincerity like that.¡± No, what is this atmosphere? Am I wrong? Am I the bad one? When I looked at Teddius, his always calm eyes were moist. No, not the story of crying. With puppy-like eyes¡­¡­ ¡°If not, is there any reason why you cannot accept Sir Roelich? Putting aside the rude reason for being burdensome.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I mean, in a more capable place that suits his ability¡­¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s for Sir Roelich to choose for himself, and is not for the Lord to be involved, isn¡¯t it?¡± Sein is now beating me with facts. Oh my, the vassal holds the master. Help me. CH 11 My loyal but cheeky retainer has now bowed down with an elegant gesture. ¡°How heartbreaking is it that you take the sincerity of the person lightly under the pretext of doing it for others? I hope the Lord will make a wise decision.¡± Hey, just look at this. You¡¯re smiling right now. ¡°My lord.¡± ¡®Lady Catlan.¡¯ The voice of Lord Roelich calling me imploringly overlapped with his in the past. If I think about it, then and now, I think he was looking at me with really bright eyes. I thought he was just a passionate knight, so I thought it must be the enthusiasm shown to a Lady. Who knew this would happen? Realizing that, no more words of disappointment came out. ¡°¡­¡­Yes, sir.¡± I sighed. ¡°What could be more honorable than that if Sir would make a pledge to me? Even if I search all over the country, I won¡¯t find a knight as knightly as Sir Roelich.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡­.¡± I nodded. ¡°However, Sir. I am not as great as you think I am. I may not be able to honor you, and I may make you unconsciously do stupid things that are out of chivalry.¡± ¡°There is no w¡­¡­¡± ¡°Yes, up to that point, it¡¯s my virtue, so I¡¯m not going to turn down Sir for this reason. Just be prepared, Sir.¡± It¡¯s not polite to keep sighing and to keep saying no when the story has progressed so far. As I raised my body hesitantly and held out the back of my hand, Lord Roelich, who was sitting opposite me, got up and slowly knelt in front of me on one knee. There is Sein who is a vassal and an aristocrat next to us, so his qualifications as a witness will be sufficient. Sir Roelich looked at me with straight eyes. Ugh, why does he seem like a five-year-old child who doesn¡¯t know the world and has the same way of looking at his parents? Don¡¯t look at me with those blind* eyes. ¡°¡­¡­ When a really dangerous moment comes.¡± The man who said he would become my knight didn¡¯t ask me back, who suddenly opened my mouth, but just glanced at me as if he was listening to every word I said. ¡°Really, when the really desperate moment came. I won¡¯t blame you even if you protect someone other than me at that time.¡± ¡°You doubt my loyalty.¡± No, that¡¯s not it. This pitiful man. A devastating disaster may soon come. If this peace continues until you and I close our eyes, and if you intend to fit in with the smooth life plan I pursue, I will be thankful to you. But soon a crisis is coming that will destroy the world. So you are more precious than me. For example, if you go to protect your family or lover, I will acquiesce. Because when the moment comes, I, too, will run to save someone more precious than you. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Sir Roelich took my hand carefully, as if he didn¡¯t care. A callous thumb that was different from mine gently brushed the back of my hand. ¡°After this, I have to prove it.¡± After saying that, the man pressed his lips against the back of my hand. For some reason, I couldn¡¯t avoid those red eyes staring up at me. What¡¯s wrong with the atmosphere today? On my way back to my room after finishing my work. When I asked Sein why he had intervened so much in Lord Roelich¡¯s affairs before parting, Sein told me with a natural expression. He asked me if I was really going to reject that talent for that reason. ¡®It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t understand what the Lord said. To be honest, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s beneficial to Sir Roelich. But just because the other person doesn¡¯t voluntarily claim profit and loss, is there any need to do it this way?¡¯ This is why the world calls a person like you a bad guy. Of course, there were many times when this rational aspect of Sein was helpful. Borter¡¯s loyalty to Catlan was so great that I knew that his various actions were ultimately for me. However, I felt very guilty to give a compliment, so I just said good night and see you tomorrow, blurring my answer, and parted. Already after the night had deepened, the interior of the bedroom was dimly lit up by magic. A large bed, beyond the wall of ridiculous pillows running across the middle. The man who was reading a book looked at me and smiled brightly. ¡°Liddell.¡± Huhu, I guess this is why people get married. There is someone who greets me so brightly after I leave work. Besides, I was very tired today. It wasn¡¯t enough to have a scuffle with my ex fianc¨¦, and I also ended up taking responsibility for the life of a stranger. When I made a sullen look on my face as a joke, Hisch jumped up, not knowing what to do. ¡°Liddell, no. That¡­¡­ Wife. What happened today? Was it very difficult?¡± You seem to have taken my words a while ago that I wanted you to focus more on me quite seriously. Hisch overcame his shyness and tried to be more compassionate, calling me his wife. It was just a joke¡­¡­ I didn¡¯t want Hisch to worry about useless things, so I changed the subject.¡­. I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s just that my husband is so cute. With tears in my eyes, I grabbed Hisch and buried my face in his chest. ¡°¡­¡­Can you tell me what¡¯s going on?¡± Hish swept my back, saying so affectionately as if something really happened to me. In fact, it wasn¡¯t something that was enough to whine at Hisch, but suddenly I thought that I should bring up these stories first so that Hisch could tell me about his daily difficulties. ¡°Today¡­¡­ Sir Roelich came. You know Teddius Roelich, right? He came to the wedding.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­ Today, I had something to check in the town, so I went out and I didn¡¯t even know that there was a guest.¡± ¡°Hm, hm. Come to think of it, how does the waterway look? No¡­¡­ This is done for now. Anyway, I was surprised that he suddenly came, saying that he wanted to stay in our territory. He wants to be my knight.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Sir Roelich?¡± Hisch asked me in a rather low voice. I was still hugging him and burying my face in his chest, so I couldn¡¯t see his expression. I nodded. ¡°Honestly, it was a little burdensome, but his will was so strong and Sein was encouraging me, so I just¡­¡­ I decided to do that. I¡¯m a terrible lord, aren¡¯t I? I should be happy if such a great knight says he¡¯ll follow me. But for some reason, it was a burden.¡± ¡°Liddell has a great sense of responsibility.¡± ¡°Me? No. I just need to take care of my body, my family, and my acquaintance if I can afford it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a great sense of responsibility.¡± Hisch whispered as he gave strength to the arm that embraced me. My husband must be a real angel. Changing my complaints into nice words. We were swaying and hugging each other as if in a slow dance. Hisch coaxed me like a child. The rhythm made my body and mind feel drowsy. Oh, this is a good atmosphere? Today, I might succeed in removing the pillow wall of the bed. Driven by this good atmosphere, I decided to tell the rest of the story that was uncomfortable to tell. ¡°Oh, and Hisch. Well¡­¡­ Miller is coming soon. You know the son of the Marquis of Firenze, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­How can I not know him? He was your fiance.¡± Our body, which was swaying rhythmically, stopped with the dead voice. I pulled away and looked at him. The black eyes between the black hair were looking at me with some melancholy. I said, stroking his cheek and putting his hair behind his ear. ¡°Magic stones have appeared in our territory. It¡¯s the best selling product at the business run by him. I just contacted him for that reason. That¡¯s why he¡¯s visiting.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You know what I mean, right?¡± Hisch looked at me without saying a word. I looked at him without averting my eyes. However, as time passed without a word, I came to the point of thinking that it would be better to just throw away the money and everything and just open a deal with another place. If Hisch, if my husband looks like this¡­¡­ But Hisch said something completely different from what I thought. ¡°I¡¯m afraid sometimes.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You are the only luck that has come to my life, Liddell. Really.¡± Hisch said softly in a low voice. ¡°Without you, I wouldn¡¯t even know how to love others. Just¡­¡­ I would have just died like that while looking for something to fill me up.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Why tell such a sad story.¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s true.¡± This time, Hisch buried his face in my shoulder. He looked childish as he was leaning on me with all his weight. ¡°So I am desperate to not lose the luck that has come into my life. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust you. So, you don¡¯t have to look at me too much. I¡¯ll just do my best, so you just don¡¯t forget that I¡¯m by your side.¡± At those words, I was speechless. It was because it seemed as if I had glimpsed something unfathomable that Hisch was holding. So I just gave strength to the hand that embraced him, just like Hisch had done before. I married him and accepted him as my family. I have chosen him as a companion for the rest of my life. So you don¡¯t have to walk on eggshells around me. You don¡¯t have to doubt that I¡¯m by your side. I hope that such feelings will be conveyed. CH 12 Hisch was the man in charge of the garden of Catlan¡¯s mansion. He was a nobleman, but the fall of his family forced him to work. Of course, his identity as the third son of a viscount worked to his advantage, so he could get a job at the Duke¡¯s House, and that¡¯s why he was able to meet me. Me, who was looking for a groom, and Hisch¡¯s confession that he fell in love with me at first sight created synergy, and we got married very quickly. So, well, I couldn¡¯t say that Hisch and I had a long enough dating period. Maybe that¡¯s because of that, but in fact, it was difficult for me to convince myself that I knew so much about Hish. For example, why no one of Hisch¡¯s family showed up at the wedding. They could have contacted me as an excuse to congratulate me, even to take advantage of the fact that I had a relationship with a family that is said to be the best in the country, but why did they not do so¡­¡­ Viscount Riot had only barely sent a letter stating that he consented to the marriage only when the wedding preparations were finished. Along with the contents, ¡®It¡¯s shameful, but we are a family that barely maintains the face of the aristocracy enough to hurt even if we participate in this marriage¡¯, and ¡®So I want to entrust everything about marriage to Catlan.¡¯ At the time, I thought I was lucky. It was because all kinds of crazy dramas passed by in my head throughout the time they didn¡¯t answer. Why, it often comes from novels or dramas. They show the appearances of in-laws who use their son as an excuse to cheat or make excessive demands. I even thought about what to give them as compensation for marriage. But I was happy to hear that the other person was going to give up everything, overshadowing my worries. Hearing this, Hisch just laughed. Without any sign of sadness. So I thought maybe the relationship with the family wasn¡¯t that good, and after that, I was careful not to talk about the family in front of him. But when I think about what happened yesterday, it may be a lot more serious than I thought. So¡­¡­ My husband has low self-esteem¡­¡­It seems to be commonly known as ¡®bottom¡¯[1]¡­¡­ ¡°What else are you thinking so seriously about?¡± Sein asked with a look that said, ¡®I guess it has absolutely nothing to do with what you are doing now¡¯. If you know, don¡¯t ask. Could it be that Hisch was abused by his family? Why, it¡¯s a common story¡­¡­. It would turn out that he was an illegitimate child, or that his mother died at the time of childbirth. Or Viscount Riot remarried, and his stepmother regarded Hisch as a thorn in her eyes. That¡¯s why the family tormented Hisch. Of course, I had already done all the preliminary investigation on the Riot family, and I knew that the Viscounts were a good couple, so much so that they had three children, far from dying or remarrying, but anyway. I will never forgive them for whatever reason. When I used my anger to grind my teeth and sign the paperwork, Sein just turned away as if he had given up on the conversation. ¡°Lord. While sorting out the ledger, I found something a little strange.¡± I raised my head and looked at him. It seemed that the general information of the territory, which had been delayed due to my unreasonable request for expedition, had finally been sorted out. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°There is a debt in the territory.¡± ¡°Debt?¡± It was before I came here, so maybe Albert did it. I asked nervously. ¡°How much is it?¡± ¡°In terms of the financial situation of Ensis, it is a difficult amount to pay back due to high interest rates. It¡¯s like borrowing money thinking that it could be easily repaid, and then things went wrong in the middle.¡± ¡°Is there anything the creditor wants from our territory?¡± ¡°I have checked the correspondence from the time the debt was made, and it seems that they have been constantly demanding interest.¡± ¡°Aha. Do they want to put a straw[2] in?¡± ¡°What¡¯s a straw?¡± ¡°There is such a thing.¡± Ensis was not a popular territory. There was no big profit, so there was a high possibility that the management would cause headaches or rot. Therefore, it can be interpreted to mean that they want Albert to manage the territory, and they only want to suck the profits from it. ¡°You said that it was an amount that was difficult to repay in view of the financial situation of Ensis. Is it possible to liquidate it with my personal wealth?¡± Sein snorted at my words and said. ¡°If the magic stone transaction is successfully completed, even without going to the lord¡¯s private property, it is a small amount.¡± Oh right. I¡¯ve struck it rich. I looked through the ledgers of that period which were submitted to Sein. ¡°¡­¡­I knew there was a period of severe famine. It overlaps with that time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± For a moment I thought of the sly butler of my mansion. I said with my chin resting on my hands. ¡°I don¡¯t think Albert owes them a debt for his self-interest. If he really had a bad heart, he could have thrown away this territory. The amount of debt is not that big.¡± ¡°I agree with that, but¡­¡­ wouldn¡¯t it be necessary to reprimand the person acting on behalf of the lord for taking on debts?¡± Come to think of it, when I first came here, Albert said he would manage the territory on his own. Lately, he¡¯s been somewhat worried about something, but maybe it¡¯s because of this debt? Sein continued to speak as if driving a wedge in my sudden question. ¡°Besides, there has been no report on this yet. Or maybe there was a willingness to hide it.¡± I thought differently. So, well, if I had to use the word ¡®cover up¡¯, it would have been the right situation. But this is probably¡­ ¡­ He doesn¡¯t want to report to his superiors the mistakes he¡¯s made while working. Wouldn¡¯t it have been similar to that kind of mentality? Maybe he thought he could solve it quietly. I clicked my tongue at the interest rate, which was significantly higher than the norm. Admitting a mistake is embarrassing and difficult for anyone, but just avoiding it this way will actually miss the timing for the superiors to fix it. ¡°¡­¡­ No. Don¡¯t bother to reprimand him. Let¡¯s just pay off the debt.¡± Sein frowned a little at my words, but then spoke politely. ¡°¡­¡­I see. Then¡­.¡± ¡°Let Albert pay them back.¡± Sein narrowed his eyes. I shrugged. ¡°How long must the old man have suffered? Do it so that he can release what he has been holding on to.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Why would you do that?¡± ¡°Sein, you said it. I don¡¯t have anyone in the mansion right now. But do you know what one of the best ways to win someone¡¯s favor is?¡± I grinned when Sein asked silently with his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m saving his face.¡± Of course, this problem could easily be handled by me or Sein. But more than that, Albert wouldn¡¯t help but feel grateful if he was given the opportunity to reflect on himself and get things right. Well, this is a useful way to use for team members who don¡¯t listen in the modern world of Earth. Even if I tell this story straight, that loyal vassal would quickly frown and say something like ¡°Soft-hearted¡±. So I opened my mouth, thinking of reasons to convince him otherwise. ¡°And Albert is capable. It is also true that he has protected this territory without a lord. He¡¯s a little fussy, but it¡¯s not like that person is evil¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°More than anything else, he is the person who knows the inside situation of the territory the most at this point, and he is useful enough to keep him by our side without letting him go.¡± ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°And it might help Hisch, too. I think I need someone to assist my husband who has to come to a strange place overnight and help deal with things that he¡¯s not even familiar with.¡± Sein, who seemed to be convinced by my long persuasion, bowed his head. ¡°Then I will deal with it as the Lord wishes.¡± Then I stretched out once and looked out of the wide window. The sun was already high in the sky. I wonder what Hisch is doing. A shout was heard in the distance. Sir Roelich shouted first, followed by a dying voice. It belonged to Gran, the only knight on the territory that was about to be kicked out just before. I¡¯ve heard that Sir Roelich is training his mind to rebuild the Knights of Ensis, which are almost in ruins, these days. Sometimes I wondered if it was okay when I heard a sound that was close to screaming. I listened to the scream like a background sound and tried to estimate the slope of the sun shining through the window. There was a reason why I cared about the time. It was because today was the day that the top boss was going to visit. While I was contemplating when he would arrive, I opened my mouth with a sudden thought. ¡°Why don¡¯t we bet on how spectacular Miller Firenze will be today?¡± Sein shrugged when I joked about the man who acted like he would die if he didn¡¯t stand out. ¡°I don¡¯t know. For now, five carriages will be the standard.¡± ¡°I think they¡¯ll be carrying lots of expensive jewelry and famous trinkets to congratulate me on my wedding.¡± ¡°On top of that, they will come with bags of improved seed varieties by type to ridicule the fact that Ensis is in poor financial condition.¡± ¡°Make money by farming?¡± When I giggled, Sein added a mountain of papers again, as if to tell me to stop playing and work. Come to think of it, this was not the time to laugh. I returned to my somber expression and began to get the documents done, igniting my wrath against the Riot family. TL Notes: [1] I don¡¯t know how to translate this in English but ?? means a person (the bottom or shou) with low-self esteem in a BL novel. If you have any suggested translation, feel free to comment down below. [2] Putting a straw on something is a slang which means ¡®to exploit¡¯ or ¡®to abuse¡¯ someone or something. CH 13 It was really no laughing matter. The day the top lord, who is the son of the Marquis of Firenze and who runs the business of the same name, decided to visit. The servants who came out to greet him began to murmur at the sight from afar. Even Albert was looking up with his mouth wide open, so I guess he said it all with his expression. I, too, couldn¡¯t keep my mouth shut as I watched Miller sitting on a huge, modern elephant-like animal. ¡°Long time no see, Liddell Catlan!¡± The blond man shouted out with a triumphant expression. Because he was so far away that if he didn¡¯t raise his voice, I wouldn¡¯t be able to hear him. There was an endless procession of carriages behind him, dressed in splendid costumes. He was crazier than I thought¡­¡­ On behalf of the owner who had no mind to greet the guest, the cold-hearted vassal standing by my side calmly opened his mouth. ¡°Welcome to Ensis.¡± Are you crazy? ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sein, you are crazy! ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sein, completely ignoring my hand signal, came out with a polite expression and placed the teacup in front of Miller. It was completely similar to when Sir Roelich came to visit. ¡°Sein. I have a story I want to share with the lord, so can you spare us a moment?¡± It was against etiquette to call another person¡¯s vassal by name without permission, but he and Sein were old friends, so it was not a big deal. At Miller¡¯s order of driving him away, Sein immediately glanced at me, the owner. I nodded reluctantly, and the loyal vassal then politely left the room silently. As soon as Sein left, Miller, who was already arrogant, even crossed his legs and opened his mouth with a grin. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Lady Catlan? No, should I call you Baron Ensis now? Or should I call you Lord because this is your territory?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes, it¡¯s been a long time. Young master of Firenze.¡± ¡°Oh my, speak comfortably. We used to call each other by names in the past.¡± This bastard? Is this the attitude of a person who came to do business? I narrowed my eyes, and Miller grinned. ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t get an invitation back then, so I couldn¡¯t go to your wedding. It¡¯s late, but I brought a small wedding present. What do you think, do you like it?¡± Who in the world is crazy to call an ex fiance to a wedding? Despite my absurd expression, Miller was busy saying things like, ¡®The mansion is too small to fit all my presents.¡¯ When we talk together here, the atmosphere will flow childishly as this guy wants. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but what qualifications are you here for? Top shareholder? Or as a blood relative of Firenze?¡± If it is the former, I will stop that mouth of his that is speaking informally, and if it is the latter, he will be kicked out immediately. However, Miller, who had been beaten once in a similar way before, changed the subject by shrugging at my thorny words. ¡°Why is the lord so stiff? We can just do business and talk about this and that as acquaintances. Well, I heard about it. Sir Roelich is in Ensis?¡± It was also a topic I personally cared about. I pondered for a while whether to casually participate in this conversation, or whether to draw a line again in search of my duty, and in the end I couldn¡¯t overcome my curiosity, so I chose the former. ¡°¡­¡­ Is there a rumor already?¡± ¡°Rumors are going to come out every time. It¡¯s already widely spread. Soon, a play will be made with the Lord, Sir Roelich, and your husband. This is also a very popular gossip with young girls. Apparently, serving as a knight is a romance for young girls of that age.¡± Teddius Roelich¡­¡­I appreciate your loyalty, but¡­¡­ You¡¯ve given my reputation a lot of shit¡­¡­ As I closed my eyes and pressed my temples tight, I heard Miller¡¯s voice. ¡°¡­¡­ So, did you really decide to let him stay at Ensis? Sir Roelich, I mean.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡­ That¡¯s what happened. He was too great for me to turn down.¡± ¡°The lord has a lot of people around her. o a loyal vassal and a reliable knight. Even a husband who¡¯s very noble and pure?¡± I raised my head at the sarcastic voice. The blonde man had a subtle smirk as if he had suppressed his emotions. For a moment, I knew what Miller, who was trying to pretend to be laid-back, ultimately wanted to say. So I sighed and told him. ¡°Young master. It¡¯s good to meet after a long time and say hello to each other. I still have a lot of work to do, so I won¡¯t have much time to spare. Or shall we relieve our fatigue today and continue talking tomorrow? ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to. We¡¯re having a meaningful enough conversation, aren¡¯t we? Or, what, do you think I¡¯m clinging to you in a pathetic way?¡± It¡¯s pathetic enough¡­¡­. A lot of time can be wasted on this unproductive subject. No, but what¡¯s so unfair for this guy? I put my chin on my hands to hear about what he has to say. However, I knew that even if I asked him to say something, this crooked man would not be able to express his true feelings anyway. He¡¯ll be bluffing again and spouting his objective opinion. ¡°Young master. Are you still concerned about our one-sided breakup?¡± So it was better to ask directly. Unsurprisingly, Miller looked at me in surprise. ¡°But it was the young master who gave me an excuse. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to break the engagement so easily.¡± It was an engagement between the great families. It was common for the children of a family of that size to be politically bound. Levitea, Valencia, Catlan, Ophius, Firenze. The fact that these five families were connected by blood was a fact that every citizen of the kingdom knew. So, my life could have just flowed that way. In front of me¡­¡­ In other words, I could have started a family with a man whose pretentiousness was his life. No, if Miller¡¯s affair (?) hadn¡¯t happened, it would have definitely gone that way. ¡°That¡¯s a misunderstanding, I¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Yes, I knew it was a misunderstanding.¡± The man¡¯s eyes widened at my words. Well, I was the one who pretended to be hurt in order to break the engagement, so it would be absurd to react like this now. An incident occurred around the time I possessed and found out what kind of book this world was set in. It was a scandal that a drunken Miller had inappropriate contact with an anonymous lady on the balcony of a party. Miller was always pretending to see me as his fianc¨¦e, but this time around, he changed his color and clung to me and said that it was a misunderstanding and that he had never betrayed my faith. But as I remembered the future of this world, I wanted to play the role of the fianc¨¦e who was betrayed and hurt and demanded a breakup. Nevertheless, the duke who overprotected me, who had lost my memory, broke the long-standing engagement even at the risk of a disadvantage. Catlan¡¯s vassals, who don¡¯t know I¡¯ve lost my memory, looked at me more sharply because of this, but¡­¡­. Wait. Does that mean my public image now is an ¡®immature young girl who was betrayed by an unfaithful fiance and married a gardener in the mansion hoping to find true love¡¯? Thinking about it that way, I could see the impact that Teddius Roelich had on his reputation could be viewed as cute. ¡°Then why¡­¡­¡± At Miller¡¯s sullen voice, I spoke with my chin on my hand. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking for a long time that Young master and I wouldn¡¯t fit together.¡± Miller, of course, had a cute side. As the only son of the Marquis, he was loved and grew up to be pretentious and arrogant. On the contrary, there was a side of him where he was naive for an aristocrat. Nor was he that bad either. He just likes to spend money, and he acts in a frivolous style. Rather, he was a person who would only live to look at his wife when he got married, or to live in captivity with his wife. But Miller was a typical aristocrat of this world, and it seemed that he didn¡¯t even love me. Above all, he was a person who could never leave the capital. ¡°It¡¯s not, right? You mean, you just broke up the engagement for that reason?¡± The man said huffing. That would be ridiculous. I don¡¯t know, but there must have been a number of projects going on behind the scenes between the Firenze and Catlan families, taking advantage of our engagement. Putting all the pros and cons aside, he would not understand why I suddenly had a ceremony with the gardener of my mansion. However, from my point of view, if it wasn¡¯t for that reason, I wonder what kind of great reason I would have to break up. I wanted to run away from the approaching future, and he wasn¡¯t a good fit for my escape companion. ¡°¡­¡­Then why¡­¡­ That, it was that man?¡± Miller asked. Jerk, rascal, bastard. As he paused, all the words that might come out later went through my head. I glanced at the man who seemed to be heating up more than necessary. Could it be that he secretly liked Liddell, the young lady, before I possessed her? With that in mind, I was sorry to have unintentionally broken apart the relationship between the two, but I had no choice but to think that it was better to break up with Miller. Living with a husband who sees me as someone else¡¯s shadow for the rest of my life is the worst thing that can happen. ¡°Why did you marry a man who had no status, no wealth, no power?¡± Uh, so that¡¯s the only reason. Did it hurt your pride that much? This is why you are a bastard who feeds off on pride. CH 14 ¡°Because Hisch was much better suited to me than you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Do you need more reasons?¡± Miller opened his mouth at my simple answer, which I just said back. ¡°It¡¯s not because you love him, is it?¡± Unknowingly, I opened my eyes wide at those words, and coincidentally, the man also raised his head, which was slightly lowered, and our eyes met. The moment I received that curious look, the man in front of me seemed very naive for some reason. Maybe that¡¯s why. ¡°Is love something that special?¡± The kind of love where we promise to be together for the rest of our lives? A story where they lived happily ever after after many twists and turns? Is only good to read, but in reality is not. I chose a man I could live with and who could be with me. It¡¯s not like there¡¯s no affection at all in our relationship. I like Hisch. But, well, that wouldn¡¯t have been enough to swear on eternal love. ¡°Even if you and I were married, was love the reason for it? I just chose the person who I need the most.¡± The moment I first heard the confession from Hisch, my thoughts naturally traveled to what my future with him would be ten years later, even to twenty years later. Of course, many things will happen in the future, and there will be a lot of things to overcome together. Even though it is a future that has not yet come, I thought that if it were Hisch, we could get along well for a long time just like now. That¡¯s why I chose him, and I haven¡¯t regretted that choice yet. Miller¡¯s eyes widened at my words and he lowered his head. The sun was slowly setting, and I could see the red sunset tilting through the window behind his back. We¡¯ve been wasting all our time with useless chatter, let alone talking about the deal. I sighed and got up. ¡°Today, an acquaintance came to visit me after a long time, and I am satisfied with the conversation. I hope tomorrow we can talk about a more productive topic.¡± Miller was speechless and didn¡¯t move, so I just walked and left the room. Phew¡­¡­ It¡¯s so hard to sell things to children. But wasn¡¯t I okay today? Having said this much, Miller would no longer come up with the same subject. I hope it was something like that because he¡¯ll realize something that he couldn¡¯t refute to. For some reason, I was about to take a step with a calm mind that had solved one thing, but a maid, who was restless next to me, called me carefully. ¡°Well, my lord¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Well, this. I don¡¯t know if I should tell you this. That¡­.. Just now, Mr. Hisch¡­¡­ As I was about to enter the drawing room¡­¡­ He ran away in a hurry.¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Although many explanations were omitted, I could realize only one truth from the look of her helpless face. I fucked up. In novels, there is often a thing called a flag. For example, ¡®After this fight is over, I will confess to the girl who is left in my hometown¡­¡­.¡¯ The guy who says it is sure to die. If you ask, ¡®Did I get him?¡¯, the enemy will come back to life. To talk about a more realistic flag, if you tell a story that no one else should hear, a person will pass by and hear it. This time, Hisch¡¯s case was no different. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± With my dead eyes, I suddenly saw Sir Roelich¡¯s strong back. And in front of that stocky, brown-haired man, three knights were seen squatting, holding their ears. ¡°Today, the Lord has personally walked up to here, so I want to show her how you train diligently.¡± Teddius, or Sir Ted, spoke like that. For reference, the name ¡®Ted¡¯ is a nickname allowed only to his family. I did call him so because he asked me with a serious face, saying he wanted me to call him that, too. Well, maybe we¡¯ll see each other for the rest of our lives. That¡¯s not much to ask. Sir Ted¡¯s grim voice made Sir Jane and Sir Bethel look equally stiff, and Gran, who was squatting next to them, looked up at Sir Ted with an expression that said ¡®Where is this? Who am I?¡¯. ¡°Standing on one, say ¡®long live¡¯, ¡®the lord¡¯ while sitting on two. Do it 30 times.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°Now, start. One!¡± I looked at it with a brooding expression. After that day, Hisch has not faced me properly. He seemed to be sleeping in another place, but it was lamentable that he was already using another room several months after we got married. Those days have already been going on for several days. ¡°Long live!¡± On the bed where only the pillow wall he had piled up was lying on the bed, I swallowed my tears and spent many nights alone, without even thinking of removing them. I want to talk to Hisch, who must have been hurt by what I said to Miller that day, but he strongly avoids me¡­¡­ To be honest, I¡¯m a little hurt. Hisch is a dodgy type. This older sister* is the type of person who faces the problem and solves it quickly¡­¡­ ¡°Two!¡± ¡°The Lord!¡± Even if it¡¯s something that Hisch would be shocked to hear, it would be a part of love. When I think about it, there was a corner that was a bit stinging. For me, Hisch¡­¡­ If I were to divide it into a degree of goodwill, I didn¡¯t love him, but I liked him, and I thought he was a good match for me, so I pushed for marriage. Hisch was acting with the attitude that he really liked me, so maybe I could use a man¡¯s innocence for my own personal reasons? ¡°One!¡± ¡°Long live!¡± No, but Hisch. Think about it. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t love you. There¡¯s burning love, but there¡¯s also growing love. I really think of Hish as a lifelong companion. This is by no means lighthearted. ¡°Two!¡± ¡°The Lord!¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Yes, I guess that¡¯s enough.¡± I¡¯ve been thinking about that person, but it¡¯s too noisy around me. At my word, Sir Ted quickly put his hands behind his back. On the other hand, the men who had been jumping to his chant gasped for breath and fell down, having done a lot more jumps. But what the hell is Sir Ted doing with these people? What¡¯s long live, the lord? Are you teaching that as a battle cry? Isn¡¯t that brainwashing? ¡­¡­Let¡¯s stop thinking. ¡°The sirs are working hard. Sir Oswald, too.¡± Gran thought he was going to get kicked out, so he decided to let Sir Ted take the lead. Sir Ted¡¯s grand plan was to hone the resources and make them usable, since even if they recruit to fill the ranks of the knights, they won¡¯t be filled any time soon. Well, in the first place, I told Gran he can stay here if he wanted to, so I allowed him to do whatever he wanted. The swordsmanship taught by the second son of the Roelich family would be useful anywhere. Anyway, aside from Gran, why would Sir Jane and Sir Bethel have to go through hard work here¡­¡­? Did you admire Sir Roelich so much that you ended up doing something you weren¡¯t told to do? Everyone must be crazy. ¡°Sir Ted worked hard, too. That¡­¡­ Well. Today was great¡­¡­ Still, just do brainwashing, no, education enough not to get hurt.¡± ¡°I accept your order.¡± Sir Ted said so with a serious look on his face. Okay, keep up the good work. My heart was still on the bean field[1], and after that, I heard the loud greetings of men shouting, ¡®Lord, take care!¡¯ When I slowly returned to the office while also taking a walk, I simply greeted Sein, asking me if I had been there. It was also Sein who kicked me out to take a walk because I was too restless to concentrate on my work. I sighed and sat down. Instead of handing out a mountain of documents as usual, Sein opened his mouth first. ¡°It looks like you haven¡¯t been able to get along well with Mr. Hisch.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I also have my own private life, but I can¡¯t protect it! I¡¯m a newlywed, do I also have to let my vassal worry about my married life? Hisch Riot, no, Hisch Ensis. You¡¯ll see. No. No. I am wrong, so let me see your face. Sob sob. I sighed and swept up my hair. ¡°To be honest, I did something wrong.¡± ¡°Then you can apologize.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ So I¡¯m trying to apologize, but I can¡¯t even see his face.¡± I have a schedule and Hisch also has a schedule. Although it was a small territory, there were a pile of pending issues that the owner could just not look over. Although Albert had managed the estate, he did not have the authority to start a new business or suggest a major direction for the territory, so I had to put a lot of effort into solving the fundamental problems. Therefore I¡¯m busy with the delayed work. Hisch is also bound to be busy because I entrusted him with the part that I couldn¡¯t keep an eye on. But if we match our schedule, we can see each other as much as we want, and in fact, it has always been that way. After that day, this husband of mine is deliberately changing the schedule so that he doesn¡¯t meet me by chance. ¡°I checked, and I found out that Mr. Hisch is staying in the far right room of the corridor on the 3rd floor.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± We¡¯re using separate rooms. CH 15 ¡°Ah¡­¡­. I was really wrong.¡± ¡°I think the lord may have done something wrong.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Sein, aren¡¯t you still my vassal? Can you at least ask me why we fought?¡± At my words, the gray-haired man snorted and said. ¡°The lord¡¯s shady, hmm. I apologize. He is a person who even blushes at clumsy words of love, and it¡¯s a little hard to think that he did something wrong in his affectionate relationship with the lord.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± You¡­¡­ You were thinking the things I said were shady. But if you think about it, Sein was right. Hisch has always done his best for me. It was an undeniable fact. So, in the end, it¡¯s me. No matter how greedy I was in the first place, Miller¡¯s business should not have been pulled in. Or if I had replied to Miller¡¯s words, ¡®Of course I love him more than you¡¯. No. If I had just sarcastically said, ¡®I love Hisch to death and married him?¡¯, the situation would not have come to this point. But seeing Miller so innocently putting love into his mouth, I couldn¡¯t help but retort like that¡­¡­. Looking back, I think I just did everything wrong. I¡¯m doomed. ¡°¡­¡­ When is Young Master Firenze coming?¡± ¡°Yesterday¡¯s contact showed that the inspection of the Magic Stones was almost completed and he would return within today.¡± And Miller Firenze, who had greatly damaged our marital relationship, left the next day like the wind along with the magic engineer. Well, he must have felt embarrassed to meet me after having such a conversation. I was rather glad because I was not in the right mind to talk to him because I was too concerned with Hisch. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m just going to break the deal¡­¡­ What¡¯s the point of making so much money?¡± ¡°Lord.¡± Sein said with a determined expression. ¡°If you make a deal with the top of Firenze, you can become rich even though you have failed in love. But if you give up everything now, the lord will simply become a failure in both money and love.¡± ¡°Hey! What do you mean I failed!¡± Your words are too harsh to listen to and are crossing the line, really! Eventually, I couldn¡¯t stand it and started calling my vassal with vulgar words like ¡®Hey¡¯[1], when I heard a murmur from the hallway. Noises such as ¡®What is that?¡¯ and ¡®What is it?¡¯ have been transmitted through the walls. For a moment, Sein and I met eyes. At that moment someone banged on the door. ¡°Lord!¡± It was an appearance that was unlike the butler who likes to keep up appearances. Albert shouted in a trembling voice. ¡°I have something to report to you! Strange things over the hill¡­¡­!¡± The atmosphere was unusual. With those words, Sein and I left our seats and ran outside without anyone saying anything first. The open sky, an ordinary afternoon scene, seemed to have changed in an instant to a foreign one. Sein supported my body at the sound of my breathing. Even though we went out as soon as Albert informed us, the ¡®strange things¡¯ he had already said were crossing the outer walls. A previous life where I didn¡¯t play games that much. And even though I had spent my present life sitting only at the head of a desk, I was able to intuitively recognize what those groups of dog-like creatures were. It was a monster. ¡°Looks like a goblin.¡± Sein said. He was closer to a mage engineer rather than a wizard standing on the front lines, but he had a relatively calm voice, apparently because he had seen quite a few monsters. In a blink of an eye, they crossed the walls of the outer castle and climbed to the walls of the inner castle, and a rough cry came from somewhere. ¡°Territory forces, fire!¡± Tung, the sound of a tight string being pulled and released. And the sound of a blade cutting through the air instantly filled the surroundings. Arrows shot high up in the sky poured down like rain, but they were usually seen bouncing off without being able to penetrate their tough skin. ¡°There aren¡¯t many trained soldiers.¡± Shoot, shoot! In the midst of the shouts of the soldiers shouting to uplift themselves and their comrades, I rolled my head to grasp the situation as best I could. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of any reports of monster colonies being formed nearby.¡± Although it wasn¡¯t particularly wide, Ensis was also a territory. Of course, watchtowers where the guards stayed were installed throughout the territory, and in case of an emergency, a system was established to quickly report to the lord of the territory. Since this emergency system was managed at the kingdom level, not at the territorial level, it would not have been related to the level of the Ensis¡¯ lagging territorial army. And yet, without any contact, the monsters invaded so suddenly? I looked back at Sein and parted my dry lips. ¡°I¡¯ll have to look into the cause.¡± Sein nodded at my words. He held out his arm to me, and I grabbed it without hesitation and closed my eyes. ¡°Lord, this is not the time for this! Please give me instructions!¡± In response to Albert¡¯s desperate cry, Sein spoke with a firm voice. ¡°If you distract her concentration, it will harm the lord, so be quiet.¡± At the same time as those words, I gave strength to my closed eyes and opened them. No matter how many times I used this ability, it was hard to get used to this sensation. To explain, well. For convenience, I call myself a ¡®clairvoyant¡¯, but to be precise, it felt like a disengagement from the body. My body is here, but my soul flies farther than my body and captures a distant landscape in my sight. ¡­¡­ Or, speaking from the point of view of modern Koreans, it felt like a street view on a map provided on the Internet. Anyway, not long after using the ability, I saw the nearest town to the castle. Located near the Lord¡¯s Castle, it was a small town that could be said to be the most developed in Ensis. Each of the people there either ran away with a fearful face, or hurried into a building and locked the door. As I concentrated more power against their flow, I saw a strange sight. A black hole in the air. It was elongated as if someone had ripped it apart, and the gaps were swirling in black, giving a feeling of intimacy. It¡¯s as if someone took the lid off the space to expose the black flesh¡­¡­ While I was observing it, the gap spewed out a monster. The goblin, covered in a sticky saliva-like liquid, shook his head and lifted his head. Even from a distance, I thought it was creepy. The moment I thought so, I felt nauseous because it felt like I had intuitively seen the antennae of a cockroach. My mind flashed and I felt dizzy, and Sein held my trembling body firmly. Because this has happened to me a lot, my vassal knew very well what role he had to play in times like these. ¡°Did you see something?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯ve seen it, but I don¡¯t know what it is¡­¡­.¡± I took a breath trying to calm the feeling of someone shaking my brain recklessly. There was little recoil at least because of the short distance, but if I looked at a longer distance, I wouldn¡¯t be able to get out of bed for a few days. ¡°¡­¡­There¡¯s a strange crack in Sobern. It¡¯s as if monsters are born there¡­¡­.¡± As I spoke about the situation in the town, which is closest to the Lord¡¯s Castle, but not a distance that can be seen with the naked eye, I heard a confused voice next to me. ¡°What is this¡­ How can you do that?¡± Unlike Sein, who was listening carefully to me, Albert just looked at me and Sein alternately. At that moment, the ground shook with a thump. I hurriedly looked down and saw a huge monster slamming the tightly closed door with its body. The soldiers fired their bows at it at once, but they couldn¡¯t penetrate the tough skin and all the arrows bounced off. ¡°¡­¡­ A little bigger one came out.¡± The idea of taking time to resist has completely changed. I turned my head and said to Albert. ¡°First of all, gather all the people of the mansion and evacuate. You can use horses or carriages. We have to take refuge for the time being, and restore this place later. I know there¡¯s an outpost northwest, so you¡¯d better get some help there.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Ah, I understand.¡± ¡°The lord¡­¡± ¡°Of course, the Lord must also take refuge.¡± At that moment, a muffled voice was heard. When I turned my head, a man already drenched in the bodily fluids of a monster was looking at me, steadying his shaky breath. Sir Ted, who cleaned the remains of the monster on his sword by swinging it in the air, came close to me and bowed his head. ¡°Forgive me for being late. I rushed to where you were, but I couldn¡¯t see you¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Sir led the army.¡± Perhaps the harsh voice that first instructed the territory¡¯s army to fire was Gran¡¯s, and the only native knight in the territory was commanding the soldiers with his blood vessels visible on his neck. Somehow, the time it took to fight without my orders was short. However, it was not something to be blamed for, since it is the knight¡¯s job to lead the army under orders in an emergency situation. He bowed his head once more. At that moment, I heard a thud under my feet. ¡°I¡¯ll take the punishment later for arbitrarily moving the soldiers.¡± He said as he glanced at the giant monster preparing to rush into the closed gate. ¡°It¡¯s not a tough opponent, but it¡¯s difficult to gain momentum because the front line is so disorganized. I think it would be a good idea to take a breather and plan for the future.¡± TL Notes: [1] ¡®?¡¯ or ¡¯Hey¡¯ is a korean expression and is informal. So, I guess it can be considered vulgar. CH 16 If we had received information that monsters were coming from outposts all over the territory and prepared step by step, like the invasion of ordinary monsters, this mansion would have been a good fortress. But, as Sir Ted said, things were moving too quickly now. ¡°H, how can the knight not deal with it? I heard that you are a very talented person¡­¡­!¡± At Albert¡¯s plea, Sir Ted shifted his eyes to look at him. ¡°There is a master I have to protect here, and there is a possibility that the monsters that the soldiers have already missed may be wandering around in the mansion. I¡¯m not adventurous enough to fight in a situation like this.¡± At that moment, a loud cry of ¡®Kieek!¡¯ was heard from a distance. And the first of us to react to it was not me or Sein, who was watching their conversation, but the brown-haired knight who was talking to Albert. He leaped out. It was such a leaping power that the sun rising in the middle of the sky was obscured and it instantly created a shadow over me. He thrusted the sword in the middle of the forehead of the monster that had climbed up the wall with his graceful movements, and then kicked it down with his foot. While the other monsters who saw their falling kin paused for a moment, the knight moved again. I knew it with my knowledge, but¡­¡­ I forgot the disgust of blood and flesh splashing that was unfolding in front of me and followed Sir Roelich¡¯s movements with my eyes as if I were possessed. If it was Teddius Roelich, it wouldn¡¯t be impossible to slaughter the entire monsters of that magnitude like the protagonist of a fantasy novel. Even though I vaguely thought so. The feeling was even more vivid when I actually saw it. ¡°It¡¯s a great skill.¡± Sein gave a calm evaluation from the side. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for me or this mansion, Sir Roelich would really have cleared things up¡­¡­ It would have been possible.¡± I mumbled so. Not long after I lost my breath, amidst the still wriggling corpses of the monster, Sir Roelich looked at me again, wiping the flesh and blood from his cheeks. His eyes, which sank low, were still glowing red as if they were burning hot. ¡°The situation is not good. You must escape.¡± ¡­¡­If I didn¡¯t do as he said, I was going to be slaughtered. He probably won¡¯t¡­¡­ He won¡¯t, right? I coughed a few times. Sir Ted was right. It was a priority to save ourselves for now. I can¡¯t make the people here sacrifice themselves just to shoot an action fantasy. Once again, I heard the sound of footsteps ringing. And with the ignorant head-butting of the great goblin, the tightly closed door creaked and cracked. ¡°Sein. Can you buy me time against him?¡± At my words, the man politely bowed his head. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Good. Try to make the gate break as late as possible and step back at the right time. Albert remembers what I said earlier, right? And Sir Ted, follow me.¡± Perhaps he read the subtle tone of my words, the knight looked at me and asked me. ¡°¡­.. Where shall I take you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to find Hisch.¡± His expression frowned slightly at my words. ¡°If it¡¯s your husband, the subordinates would have served him right away.¡± ¡°I still want to check it out for myself. If someone evacuated Hisch to a safe place, as Sir said, I¡¯d like to hear a report about it.¡± Albert is an old butler of this mansion, so everyone will believe him and follow him in an orderly manner. Sein was not only a magician who was recognized by the Tower, but he was also a high level magic engineer, so he would be able to faithfully fulfill my orders and withdraw himself. Now that I have finished all arrangements for my territory and my people, all I need to care about is the safety of my husband. Even with my determined expression, Sir Roelich¡¯s face did not straighten. ¡°Sir Roelich, you¡¯d better give up. The lord is someone who will jump out saying that she will go alone.¡± When Sein gave advice that is not advice, the loyal knight slowly opened his mouth. ¡°¡­¡­ If a really dangerous moment comes, I apologize in advance for giving priority to the lord¡¯s safety with all my might.¡± At the same time, the man thrust his sword into one of the goblins that climbed up the wall, and continued the conversation. ¡°Then¡­¡­I¡¯ll take you.¡± ¡°Hisch!¡± The mansion was a mess. As Sir Ted said, some of the monsters that the soldiers missed were ripping their way through the entire mansion. Fortunately, there were no serious injuries or casualties. Everyone was fighting with an axe and a kitchen knife they had brought from the kitchen. It was a possible situation because it was a low-level monster with low intelligence. ¡°Uwaak!¡± A goblin jumped at the man who dropped the axe he was holding as if he had lost his strength, but Sir Ted quickly cut down the monster. While he was looking around, I raised the man up. ¡°M, my lord!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not hurt, are you?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡­. I¡¯m fine, but what the hell is this?¡± The man stamped his feet with a tearful face. Still, looking at his appearance, he didn¡¯t look hurt anywhere. I told him to go through the back door where Albert was waiting, and asked about Hisch¡¯s whereabouts. ¡°Mr. Hisch? I¡¯ve never seen him¡­¡­¡± ¡°Yes, I see. Try to get going before it¡¯s too late.¡± I turned my back, trying to smile. As time went on, I became more anxious. In fact, I didn¡¯t see any corpses while coming all the way here, and the soldiers and Sein were blocking the monsters better than I thought. Maybe it¡¯s because I haven¡¯t seen him for a few days. I was worried if he was alone in a place where there was no one to protect him. A number of dizzying thoughts flashed through my mind. I couldn¡¯t relax until I saw him with my own eyes. ¡°Hisch!¡± As I ran calling his name, Sir Ted followed me, covering my surroundings. There seemed to be few people left in the mansion, perhaps because everyone I met on the way was told to go to the back gate. However, from the sound of tearing something outside and the rumble of the ground getting closer and closer, it seemed that the soldiers, who thought they had given the time needed to evacuate as I had said, were slowly retreating. My heart was getting more and more desperate. Why can¡¯t I see that dark-haired man I know well anywhere? Why is the man who always smiles and turns around when I call his name not here? I would be glad if he ran away with the others¡­¡­ ¡°Liddell!¡± I turned my head to the familiar but not the one I was looking for. ¡°Miller?¡± The man hurriedly ran towards me, breathing heavily. I was surprised and asked him. ¡°Why are you here? How, no, why did you come here?¡± Because of the situation, the comfortable tone flowed like before. If you were on your way back to the mansion, there would have been no way you wouldn¡¯t have seen this chaos, so why didn¡¯t you run away? In response to my urgent question, the blonde man roughly brushed his hair and said. ¡°Hey, you¡­¡­! Then if I leave you in this situation¡­¡­! What the hell are you doing here, are you crazy? The first person who should escape is¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Lord! You¡¯re safe¡­¡­!¡± A maid stuck out from behind Miller, who was running wild on the road, and made a happy voice. Now that I see, a number of servants have gathered behind him. According to the story, Miller walked with only a sword and slaughtered the monsters, calling my name loudly while wandering around the mansion. He entrusted the defense of the castle to his own escorts. In the process, it seemed that several servants were rescued and protected like this. When I thanked him for his help in this situation, Miller didn¡¯t respond and looked at Sir Ted. ¡°Do you know what¡¯s going on outside right now? You¡¯re making your master stay in this place?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not Sir Roelich¡¯s fault. I said I would stay. To find Hisch¡­¡­¡± At my words, the servants began to murmur. ¡°Mr. Hisch?¡± ¡°Come to think of it, where is he¡­¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Hisch?¡± One of the servants who stood behind Miller stuck out her head and opened her mouth. ¡°I saw Mr. Hisch head towards the garden near the training hall after lunch! It seems he wants to contemplate alone for a moment¡­¡­¡± My ears lit up at those words. ¡°Thank you! By the way, if you go to the back gate, Albert will be waiting there. Go ahead and evacuate. Miller, you too!¡± ¡°Hey! Where are you going!¡± I ran as hard as I could, leaving Miller screaming behind. Soon I heard Sir Ted running right behind me. A lot of thoughts came to my mind as I ran across the training hall that had just been a peaceful afternoon before. If you look at novels, you often lose a precious person after fighting. Hopefully that¡¯s not the case. Although this is a novel, you and I are not the main characters. All of those trials and tribulations are reserved for the characters of fate in this novel, such as Alan or Violet, and we just have to live in peace, using the small knowledge of the future we are fortunate enough to know. But. On this cruel afternoon, in this place where the dust is blown by the wind and the torn petals rustle. Why, I saw a monster that had just crashed into the gate with a terrifying force. I saw him standing in front of it in a daze. ¡°Hisch!¡± ¡°Ms. Liddell!¡± I ran toward Hisch, narrowly avoiding Sir Ted trying to grab me. I ran with all my might, so much that I didn¡¯t even know where I was getting this speed. CH 17 The black-haired man quietly looked at the monster large enough to cast a shadow over him, then quickly turned his head to look at me. The situation around us turned into a mess. Ms. Liddell! Liddell! The voices of the two men, apparently not Hisch¡¯s, were calling my name one after the other. I couldn¡¯t see what kind of face Hisch was making while looking at me. I couldn¡¯t think of anything to the point where I wondered if he was in a trance. Whether I should have treated him better or I regret what happened that day to death, I really didn¡¯t think of anything like that. The only thing I could do was to get Hisch away from that dangerous thing somehow. The monster raised its huge arm. As if the air had been torn apart, the heavy sound of the wind was clearly felt, and the hairs all over my body stood upright in an instant. At the moment when I tried to tenaciously pull Hisch and push him away. My weak husband. The husband who smiles at me, the man who always did what I wanted. This time, without him being pushed out as I wanted. Instead, he grabbed my hand and pulled me tighter, locking me in his arms, and with the other he reached out as if trying to block the danger that was pouring towards us. That can¡¯t be possible. And yet, Hisch reached out. The moment when the monster¡¯s hideous hand and his small hand, which is comparatively cute, came into contact. ¡°What?¡± I uttered a question without realizing it. The sound of footsteps running towards us, and Miller¡¯s loud voice shouting my name, faded as if a candle was extinguished. I couldn¡¯t believe what was happening in front of me. As soon as something huge touched Hisch, it disappeared without a trace in an instant, and a strong wind blew through them. At the same time, the gray ashes, which were barely maintaining the shape of something, were gently blown away by the wind. And in the silence that came, the grass and flowers in the garden began to sway peacefully again, as if they had forgotten what existed here before. Sir Ted and Miller, who had witnessed all this from afar, were looking at us with their eyes wide open. Perhaps my expression was no different from theirs. I slowly turned my head and looked up at Hisch. ¡°Hisch¡­¡± I ended my speech by moistening my dry lips with my tongue. ¡°¡­¡­ What was that just now?¡± The man looked down at his fingertips as if he was surprised. Then he turned his head, startled by my voice. And when he saw me, he looked like he was about to cry. ¡°But, I don¡¯t want Liddell¡­¡­ to get hurt.¡± Hisch, who had said that, bit his lip and pushed me slightly, and ran somewhere like a broken-hearted protagonist. In the meantime, it¡¯s like Hisch, how do I say this, it¡¯s like he controlled his strength and pushed me back enough for me to take a step back. I¡¯m out of my mind thinking that in this situation. The back of Hisch, who I had been staring blankly at some point, disappeared, and when I looked down, I could see gray ashes stained on the grass. After slightly touching what had just been a huge monster with my toes, I raised my head and looked at Sir Ted and Miller. ¡°Ha ha¡­¡­ Ha.¡± What a bunch of stupid faces. I was somewhat relieved to see the two men still looking stunned. I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t see anything wrong. Only such a wild idea lingered in my head. The scene in the video sphere was simply hell. On the day of a splendid wedding, the high-rise main temple cathedral was collapsing terribly. People rushed to the entrance desperately to get out of the building, and some knights were busy evacuating the guests and blocking the debris of the crumbling building. The man who clenched his teeth at the end of the video and looked at the culprit of all this was someone I knew well. Alan Levitea, the protagonist of this novel that was coming to an end. There was a large hole in the air. Something I¡¯ve seen too, with gigantic tentacles hovering between them, threatening others. The last scene of that I remember was the happy wedding of the main characters. In the comments, everyone was clamoring for 500 childcare extras and asking to show them that they are living well, but the author adamantly ended the series. The two end up kissing and swearing that their love will last forever. As with all stories, it was an ending that seemed to be filled with happy moments. But even if this place is in a novel, it seems to be a world after all. After the novel , their wedding is ruined by a mysterious creature like this. In the video, Alan, who was confronting the monster, was jumping high with a sword instead of the knights who were busy evacuating other guests. Levitea, the family to which he belongs, is also a member of the great nobility. And Alan, a direct descendant of the family, had a special power, which was ¡®Telekinesis¡¯. Soon, the legs of the monstrous creature, which had been disheveled by the abilities he had used, gathered together as if they were bound in an invisible thread, and Alan cut it sharply. With that, the video ended. This was a development where if the avid readers of saw this, it would make them say, ¡®Knock knock¡­¡­ Author¡­¡­ Open the door¡­¡­ It¡¯s a delivery¡­¡­ No, just open the door¡­¡­¡¯ However, the problem was that a more shocking story was taking place in my family life than the shocking development in front of me. ¡°¡­¡­ It seems that strange phenomena have occurred simultaneously not only in our territories but also throughout the kingdom. The reason is unknown, but fortunately, the monsters in Ensis suddenly retreated and the work was completed without much damage¡­¡­ What¡¯s wrong with everyone?¡± After the briefing, Sein opened his mouth as if frustrated as he looked at me and Miller who had been quiet since before. Another witness, Sir Ted, had been away for a while to sort out the situation and identify the ¡®crack¡¯ I had discovered, so Miller and I just stared into each other¡¯s eyes without saying a word. How the hell am I supposed to explain this? It was obvious to me that Miller was thinking that way, too. For example, Hisch suddenly used Auror to defeat a monster. If it was something like activating a great magic and knocking it down, I could have explained it truthfully. But what can Hisch explain about ¡®that¡¯? The monster turned to dust as soon as he touched it? ¡°¡­¡­ We¡¯ve seen an unexpected side of Hisch, so we¡¯re sparing our words now.¡± ¡°Mr. Hisch?¡± ¡°Yeah, I think my husband was ¡®a loser hiding his strength¡¯[1].¡± ¡°Strength¡­ What do you mean?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I think he was hiding a special power.¡± Miller buried his body in the sofa at my words, as if finally able to breathe. ¡°It wasn¡¯t some kind of magic. Because none of my artifacts reacted. It¡¯s more like¡­¡­ I think it is more likely to be an ¡®ability¡¯.¡± This was the ability he spoke of. A mysterious ability that manifests only in the bloodline of the royal family who founded the kingdom of Kleinin and the founding allies who helped him. Abilities that in actuality he is unable to manifest, an ability like my clairvoyance. ¡°¡­¡­ The kingdom has a long history. We do normally become in-laws with the families that reside there, but it¡¯s not like we manage every person with our blood mixed in them as part of our lineage.¡± Miller said slowly, tapping the handle of the chair with his index finger. ¡°Even if the ability was manifested in a completely unexpected place, well¡­¡­ It¡¯s surprising, but it¡¯s not impossible.¡± But the man who said that was smiling self-deprecatingly. It must have been a part of his inner concern that the only son of the Marquis of Firenze did not have the ability used by most of the children of other similar families. Anyway, Miller¡¯s words made sense, so I nodded. ¡°I need to check it out.¡± ¡°Exactly what is it you are talking about so seriously.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I mean. Hisch defeated the monster¡­¡­¡± ¡°As soon as he touched it, the monster turned to ashes.¡± Despite the somewhat unkind and absurd explanation that finished with Miller¡¯s words, Sein asked without a blink of an eye. ¡°Where did he touch it?¡± ¡°Huh? Uh¡­¡­ It was¡­¡­ the hand.¡± ¡°He touched the monster directly, and it turned into ashes?¡± ¡°That¡­¡­ That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Hmm, how big was the monster by any chance?¡± ¡°¡­¡­it¡¯s the same one who tried to smash our gates.¡± ¡°Aha. So Mr. Hisch killed that monster, and so, the horde that lost their boss retreated? He has the power to turn a monster of that size into ashes at once. It¡¯s worth experimenting with. I wonder if his ability can be applied to non-living things as well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± No, does he really have to wonder about something like that out loud right now? That¡¯s why this jerk is a wizard. Miller sighed as I looked at Sein, who was talking in a serious tone. He rose from his seat and opened his mouth, fixing his clothes. ¡°Baron. I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m going to have to hurry back to the capital. My mother just attended that shattered wedding. I heard she wasn¡¯t hurt, but I¡¯m sure she must have been very surprised, so I think I should stay by her side.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes, I wish I could postpone the deal a little because something else urgent came up, too.¡± After saying that much, I continued to talk to him after thinking for a while. ¡°¡­¡­ And Miller. Maybe, I mean¡­¡­ about my husband¡­¡­ his ability. Can you keep it a secret for a while until I find out more and report it to the royal family?¡± It was Hisch¡¯s affair, not anyone else¡¯s, but it was unbearable to be dragged into the situation without understanding it properly. At my words, Miller stopped walking and looked back at me. TL/N: [1] In Korean, it¡¯s ¡®???¡¯ from ¡®?? ??? ??¡¯ that literally means ¡®a loser/outcast hiding his strength¡¯. It is a slang to look down on someone who is not social, lacking self-confidence, unattractive appearance, weird way of talking¡­etc. in school days. I don¡¯t know how to directly translate that so that it can fit the whole context, so I just used that. If you have any suggestions, you can comment down below. CH 18 His blue eyes looked down at me as if they were piercing me. ¡°By the way, Baron. I want to give you a piece of presumptuous advice.¡± The blonde man opened his mouth in a blunt tone. ¡°The capable people are people who have a different mentality from ordinary people. How can they not do that when they use mysterious abilities that are different from those of others since birth.¡± Just where did his usual spirited appearance go. Miller with calm eyes opened his mouth slowly, as if he were a different person. ¡°¡¯I am different from others¡¯¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The stronger the ability, the more peculiar the ability, the more likely they are to think so.¡± While parents, acquaintances, and friends are all talented, it came to me more heavily because it was said by a man who grew up as the only ordinary person in that gap. ¡°In that sense, your husband¡­¡­ It¡¯s better to think of it as a mismatch in some way.¡± After saying that, Miller was the first to leave the room, muttering, ¡°I¡¯ll get in touch with you about the deal later.¡± Me and Sein looked at his back without saying a word. I am different from others. After repeating the words in my mind, which somehow didn¡¯t sound like someone else¡¯s, I tightened my hand. Many years have already passed since I came to this place after a sudden accident in real life. My initial sense of coming from another world began to be gradually forgotten as I lived here. On the contrary, there were times when it felt like a dream. As I have been living in my own way for several years like that, the sense that this is a world in a book has gradually faded away. Will there really be a great event called the destruction of the world when it is so peaceful? Even if it happens, it may be something in the distant future, and nothing special will happen while I¡¯m still alive. That¡¯s what I thought. But seeing this happen, maybe it was just my wish. [I see¡­¡­ Even in your territory.] ¡°Yes¡­¡­.¡± [¡­¡­Liddell.] My father, who had been muttering in shock after hearing my explanation from the other side of the video sphere, opened his mouth with a tired expression. [Maybe I failed to give you faith.] ¡°What are you talking about all of a sudden?¡± [Why did that happen¡­¡­. You don¡¯t say a word to me until I contact you.] ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Ah¡­¡­. Is that so. It was a situation that a typical parent might worry about. I missed some things because I had few memories of receiving my parents¡¯ worries, but most of all, I was distracted by Hisch these days, making it really difficult to take care of various problems. ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m really distracted. In the end, it wasn¡¯t a big deal.¡± [It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s a big deal or not. It¡¯s just¡­¡­ No, it¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s talk about the details when we meet.] ¡°¡­¡­Yes, then I will leave on time.¡± [Yes, come safely.] The connection was terminated after a conversation that would have been in a father-daughter relationship. I took a deep breath and ran my hand across my face once. The secret association mentioned in . I didn¡¯t think it was going this far under the water. Suddenly, villagers eat each other, or all living things including animals and plants in the vast forest, die. When such suspicious and bizarre things happened one after another, the royal family secretly launched an investigation, and as a result, it was revealed that it was the work of monsters. Sein, who was listening to the report next to me, calmly said this. ¡°Dryads and Shadow, these are monsters that have not been seen for nearly 100 years. To be honest, I thought they were already extinct.¡± I answered in a tired voice. ¡°So the wizards must have taken the lead in digging. What they don¡¯t understand is that they are the people who ask questions to the end.¡± And they want to use my abilities to check out some of the places they¡¯ve identified as having something to do with this phenomenon¡­¡­ That was why my father contacted me. Although I married and became independent from my family, it was a responsibility that could not be escaped as long as Catlan¡¯s blood flowed on me. Normally, I¡¯ll just go there like it¡¯s some kind of errand, but¡­¡­ The problem was that now my husband couldn¡¯t avoid me, so he just went into hiding. After that day, Hisch literally locked himself up in the room. ¡°Hisch, have you eaten?¡± ¡°Hisch, it¡¯s a nice day, would you like to go for a walk?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Hisch, you¡¯re breathing, right?¡± ¡­¡­I was barely able to check his safety over the tightly closed door. At the end of my sentence, Hisch himself must have been surprised as there was a thud in the room, but fortunately, I was able to confirm his life or death. Yes, Hisch must also need time to think. I decided to think so. Rather, it seemed that it would not be bad for me to go out to the capital for a while and have time for each other. Before going to the capital in response to my father¡¯s call, I took a step forward to tell Hisch about my long business trip. As I headed to the room where he had been locked up for several days, I had a lot of thoughts. In fact, it wasn¡¯t just Hisch who needed time. I, too, was perplexed. Is my husband strong? Awesome! ¡­¡­But, for some reason, I couldn¡¯t be happy. I used to have the same dream every night. When I run towards him to block the dark shadow that comes upon him, he reaches out and touches the gigantic figure. Then the figure would turn to white ashes like snow. It was the same hand that held my hand, hugged me, and patted my back. The instinctive shudder from the fear¡­¡­ of witnessing Hisch¡¯s power. Because it was the kind of thing that could not be easily forgotten. It was really hilarious. Thanks to that ability, I and Hisch were able to live. ¡®I¡¯m so glad.¡¯ It may end with that thought, but I wonder why I think his power is terrifying. However¡­¡­. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I suddenly remembered the first time I met Hisch. When we first met, Hisch was crying on one side of the garden. Hisch said it was the first time he had become a gardener for such a large mansion. So, he often made mistakes, and in the end, there was a time when some of the flowers in the garden he was managing died due to a failure in sunlight control. I thought he fears that other people will find out and get scolded. Perhaps because he knew that if he was discovered, he would lose his job and be fired. However, it wasn¡¯t because of that; rather, he was crying because he was sad that he killed the flowers. Hisch cried for that reason. I just¡­ I had a lot of thoughts. For example, the people of the Riot family who didn¡¯t even participate in their child¡¯s wedding. Hisch said he was lucky to meet me. The scene that still appears in my dreams, where he makes the giant monster disappear. Immediately after that, with an expression that looks like he¡¯s about to cry, and the back of him running away. The man who decided to hide and cry in secret, rather than showing off such a fearful and unrealistic power to someone or violently wielding it to profit. Stupid, and¡­¡­ somewhat lovely. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Finally, standing in front of the door where he was locked in, I hesitated for a moment and then knocked on the door. ¡°Hisch? Are you there?¡± As I listened, I heard footsteps. Are you going to open the door for me today? I wanted him to, but the sound of footsteps came close to the door and stopped. I sighed and leaned my back against the door. ¡°Hmm¡­¡­ have you eaten yet? I have eaten already. Oh¡­¡­ Right, if you need anything, you¡¯re telling the servants well, right? You can¡¯t refuse to do that.¡± Also, I held back my desire to nag a lot and decided to get to the point. ¡°Uh¡­¡­ And. I came here today because I wanted to tell you something. Well¡­¡­ I need to go to the capital for a little while. Maybe the departure is¡­¡­. Well, I think I¡¯ll have to hurry up. But I think I¡¯ll have to stay there for a few days. There¡¯s something I have to do, and when I do it, I can¡¯t get out of bed for two days, so¡­¡­¡± Whew, why am I even talking about this. I ended the conversation by stroking the back of my neck. ¡°Anyway¡­.. I¡¯m just telling you in case you¡¯ll look for me. Ummm¡­¡­ Eat well without me.¡± No wonder my soul is Korean, since just why out of all things, the thing I remembered as a final greeting is talking about food. I scolded myself and was about to stand upright and walk, when I heard a rattling sound behind me. As soon as I looked back for a moment, a strong grip hugged me. ¡°Liddell¡­¡­.!¡± It was a long time since he had hugged me. Hisch buried his face on my shoulder and whispered in my ear. ¡°Where are you going to the capital? For what? Why does Liddell have to lie down for days?¡± For some reason, my shoulders were damp, so I grabbed his hand and turned around to see a black-haired man looking at me with tears in his eyes. It¡¯s been a long time since I saw him, and he looked haggard, so I felt emotional without realizing it. ¡°If you¡¯re so worried about it¡­¡­. Why didn¡¯t you come out earlier? I was so worried.¡± ¡°Liddell¡­¡­? Are you crying¡­¡­? ¡°Of course, uh! Do I look like I won¡¯t cry? What¡¯s with your face, did you eat? I¡¯m so upset¡­¡­¡± As I ran my hand over the side of Hisch¡¯s face, he cried with even thicker teardrops. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Liddell. I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m a coward, I¡¯m sorry.¡± CH 19 ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry, why apologize if you haven¡¯t done anything wrong. I¡¯ll be mad if you recklessly apologize to anyone in the future.¡± Compared to Hisch, even though my eyes were wet with tears, he made a fuss and coaxed me, saying he was sorry and not to cry. I really thought we were both stupid, but I liked Hisch¡¯s warmth and his voice that I haven¡¯t heard in a long time, so I just quietly hugged him. It was then that I realized that I was very sad and lonely that I had not been able to see him the whole time. So I gently gave strength to the hand that grabbed his collar. We were a little embarrassed and decided to enter the room after making such a fuss in the corridor that some people would say it was unusual. The room where Hisch lived was much narrower than other places, perhaps because it was in a remote corridor. It was well maintained, but I was upset to think of Hisch, who would have settled down alone in a place like this with only a bed and basic furnishings. On the other side of the small sofa, the two of us sat close to each other. I rested my head on Hisch¡¯s shoulder, and Hisch placed his head on it and wrapped his arms around my shoulder. Even though it was only that much contact, I felt like I was firmly intertwined with him. I closed my eyes quietly for a while as his body temperature seemed to warm up something about me that had cooled down. Hisch sniffed with red eyes. He was the first to open his mouth in a hoarse voice. ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Liddell. I keep avoiding you without saying a word¡­¡­ I knew Liddell would be worried, but I needed some time to think about it.¡± ¡°No, Hisch has nothing to apologize for. I¡¯m really sorry, I think I was being too reckless. Even though I say we have to distinguish between public and private matters, I didn¡¯t think of how you would feel if I invited the person who was your wife¡¯s ex fianc¨¦ to our home.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°On top of that, we only talked about¡­¡­ love or other strange things¡­¡­¡± Talking about it made me feel like a really bad person. I would have nothing to say even if he asks for a divorce. Hisch quickly noticed that my tear ducts were starting to fill up again, and whispered not to cry. He softly spoke. ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯ve thought a lot about it. Really a lot¡­¡­ But, no matter how hard I thought about it, I couldn¡¯t come up with an answer. I¡¯m more childish than Liddell thinks. But I wanted to hide that from you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°But¡­¡­ Yes. To be honest, I hated the knight coming to you, and the man coming here for work. And when I heard Liddell that day¡­¡­ I was so sad.¡± Hisch bowed his head. His black hair tickled near my ears. ¡°I like you much more than Liddell thinks. Really, I don¡¯t know how to express this feeling. If it wasn¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t have loved anyone, let alone married.¡± He spoke once again what he had said to me. I didn¡¯t think it would be the case then and now, but I decided to listen to him quietly. ¡°¡­¡­ It could only be Liddell or no one. But Liddell chose me. There were so many options, and you could have gone the other way, but¡­¡­ You just picked me out of them. I was so sad to think that way.¡± He brought his lips to my hair. ¡°So I thought a lot, really a lot¡­¡­ But, just. I couldn¡¯t help it, I thought. Because I don¡¯t want to choose the option of breaking up with you.¡± ¡°Hisch¡­¡­¡± ¡°I can love you more. The size may be different, but you give me back my love. So it¡¯s okay.¡± Rather than cutting him off or denying them hastily, I waited for him to finish his words. After pouring out his words softly, Hisch had not spoken since then, as if it were really all in his heart. I thought a lot while listening to Hisch¡¯s low but soft voice. But as my thoughts split and merged, the remaining impressions were nothing more than mere thoughts. Realizing that this man sitting next to me is a terribly lonely man. And rather than being somehow burdened, I just feel heartbroken for the solitude he¡¯s embracing. I want to soothe that loneliness he feels. Such were the things. ¡°¡­¡­Hisch. I felt like I saw the whole of my life when I married Hisch.¡± Suddenly, I glanced at the hand the man had placed on my lap. The unknown hand, the hand that turned that great threat to ashes. To be honest, I was reluctant. Why did he have such power, why did he not tell me about it. No, I was just scared, regardless of all the reasons. It was more of an instinctive fear. His power, which seems to erase existence itself, is indescribable. Hisch followed my gaze, but didn¡¯t say anything to me, who was staring at his hand. As if it was a matter of course. As if it was a treatment he deserved, as if my fears were natural. For some reason, his attitude seemed to show a side of loneliness that Hisch had not told me about, so I placed my hand on his large hand and gave it a tight squeeze. ¡°At that moment, I could clearly see Hisch and I getting older. I don¡¯t know why, but I just did. We will grow old naturally like that, and even if we become a grandfather and a grandmother, the two of us will live well together.¡± I continued, gently stroking the back of his hand with my thumb. ¡°So maybe it wasn¡¯t a choice, it was inevitable. I think so.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Why cry again.¡± I smiled and sighed as I watched the tears dripping down my clothes. I fiddled with the hand I was holding to soothe him. But nevertheless. I thought as I felt Hisch¡¯s hand, which was much bigger than mine. There were still a variety of problems ahead of us. But it won¡¯t necessarily have to be solved all at once. We¡¯ll be together longer than we¡¯ve ever been. I thought so, but as if Hisch knew my worries, he held my wriggling hand and opened his mouth with a muffled voice. ¡°As for¡­¡­ what happened that day.¡± I knew that what he was talking about was ¡®that day¡¯. The day that really became the reason why he locked himself up in this room. It was a time when something unusual happened and is still a little uncomfortable to think about. ¡°I¡¯m still afraid to say it. I really¡­¡­ hate it. I was hoping you would never know this for the rest of your life. If you find out, you will inevitably hate me.¡± ¡°Hisch¡­¡­¡± ¡°Is that not right? Tell me the truth, Liddell. Were you really¡­¡­ not afraid of me that day?¡± Well, of course I wasn¡¯t scared. It would be easy to lie like that. But. For instance, even at this moment when I¡¯m holding his hand, Hisch can make me disappear just like that if he decides to. Of course I know he won¡¯t do that, and I trust Hisch. I still needed time not to recall the sight and such imagination. When I looked up at Hisch, the man was looking at me with his still, but low, sunken eyes. In an instant, despite my worries, I realized that he didn¡¯t believe me either. Apart from his love for me, he must have had countless experiences in the past. ¡°Fear comes from the unknown.¡± I said quietly looking into his eyes. ¡°So when I learn more about this power of Hisch, I won¡¯t be scared anymore.¡± I said with a smile, wanting to reassure him who is looking at me with bated breath as if he was walking on eggshells. I wanted to tell him that all this is just one of the things we have to go through to live together, and it wasn¡¯t anything great and tragic. ¡°For instance¡­¡­ You know Hisch, I have strange powers, too. If this had happened overnight, I would have been disconcerted and scared, but¡­¡­¡± Giving strength to the hand I held, I spoke softly. ¡°This is manifested by the blood that came down from my ancestors, and some people are similar to me¡­¡­ I¡¯m not afraid at all when I think of it this way. It¡¯s the same thing.¡± Hisch blinked. ¡°I never thought about it that way¡­¡­¡± On the other hand, I was not happy to give such consolation. If you think so, how lonely Hisch must have been to think that he was the only one in the world who was different from others. Hisch kept his mouth shut, as if he were pondering my words for a moment, lowered his gaze, and then soon opened his mouth. I decided to just pretend I didn¡¯t know my husband was trying to change the subject. ¡°Right, so you¡¯re going up to the capital this time¡­¡­. to use that ability that Liddell has? Enough to lie down for two days¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡­ I¡¯ll have to go and see, but I think I probably will.¡± ¡°Then can I come with you?¡± Hisch said in a strong tone for some reason. ¡°I¡¯ve heard other people¡¯s stories. There are rumors that the capital has become a mess because something similar happened there. I can¡¯t let Liddell go alone at a time like this.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ If necessary, I can somehow solve it. So let¡¯s go together.¡± The man speaking in a strong tone seemed unbelievably reliable, but his hands holding me were teeming with sweat. I was grateful for the man who declared that he would use the ability he wanted to hide and that he didn¡¯t even want to tell me about. I smiled slightly and shook my head. ¡°It¡¯s all right, Hisch. Let¡¯s go¡­¡­ to the capital later.¡± With a little more information gathered, I found out more about Hisch. It would be better to take him only after deciding how to protect him in the future. To put him before the royal family without any suspicion. CH 20 Birds that were wandering leisurely in the square flew up at once. I stared blankly at the scene and thought. There used to be three people in this carriage, Sein, me and Hisch. It felt a little strange to come to the capital alone like this. Even the fact that I had a new worry that was completely different from then made me think that life is impossible to know even an inch ahead. The capital was quite rowdy. The busy people and their voices, whispering to each other, were as lively as usual, but there was a hint of fear behind them. I looked out the window with my chin in the carriage, and then burst into laughter as I saw Gran still brushing his hair. ¡°Sir Oswald, isn¡¯t that too much effort?¡± ¡°But my lord, this is my first visit to the capital¡­¡­.!¡± I shook my head as I was looking at the countryside knight that was excitedly making noise saying that it was his first time he had seen so many people in his life, or that the building was higher than anywhere else. After Ensis was attacked, Gran had an expression that was uncharacteristically determined. No matter how much he lived like a salary thief, Ensis was the hometown where he was born and raised. It was shocking that the Lord¡¯s castle, the center of his hometown, was attacked so easily. and recently, he has been seen training early in the morning without anyone ordering. But well, a few crises don¡¯t change people that easily. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my lord. The moment he enters the duke¡¯s house, I will grab him and make sure he doesn¡¯t fall in the eyes of the duke.¡± Sir Bethel whispered to me. I gave a small smile to him who treated Gran as if he could not see him, and raised my hand and shouted at the boy standing far away. ¡°Here, newspaper.¡± At my words, the boy ran quickly in surprise and politely handed me a bunch of paper. Instead of Sir Bethel, I threw a copper coin to the boy. The first thing that caught my eye when I opened the newspaper was the incident in which the wedding ceremony of the son of the duke of Levitea was destroyed. Fortunately there seems to have been no deaths. When I saw an article looking for God¡¯s protection, saying that the cathedral where the ceremony was held mercilessly collapsed, I suddenly looked up. On top of the highest hill that could be seen from anywhere in the capital, the cathedral, which should have been showing off its majesty as always, was collapsed as if it had been bombed. ¡°My lord, I¡¯m sorry to have kept you waiting. It seems that the security has been tightened due to the previous incident.¡± Sir Jane, who had just finished the formalities in the capital, said that as if in trouble. It was an incident where monsters were falling from the air, and I wondered what it meant by strengthening the access inspection of the capital, but I thought people would be relieved only if they showed such a thing. ¡°My lord, we¡¯re leaving.¡± Sir Jane, who climbed into the coachman¡¯s seat instead of the driver, said so. Again the carriage rolled slowly. Languidly buried in the seat of the carriage, I stared at the flowing scene. Before I left here, I was a little worried about how to organize my group, but I decided to put Sein, one of the people I trusted the most, by Hisch¡¯s side. In my mind, I wanted to stick with him the whole time, comfort him, and shake all of his sprouting goosebumps that I hadn¡¯t been able to do before, but¡­¡­ Now that things have come to this, I thought it would be better to leave Hisch there alone, but still with someone who could safely assist him. Sein was dissatisfied, but couldn¡¯t ignore my order and eventually nodded. About Sir Ted, well¡­¡­ I didn¡¯t come to the capital with my husband, but I came to the capital with the knight who is in the rumor? It was an absurdity that will make the rumors spread its wings and ascend to heaven. As a result, this person was chosen. Hisch was constantly worried until the day I left. There was something obsessive about it, but the funny thing was that he only cared about me. Ensis is a place that has already been attacked once, so it may be him that is in danger. How should I put it¡­¡­ ¡®You will never be in danger.¡¯ It was the attitude of a person who looked at you with such determination. ¡­¡­ Well, but Hisch, who was restless because he was worried about me, was so cute that I decided to pass on such a small matter. When I thought of Hisch, I had a very strange feeling. Since I came to this world, I¡¯ve lived in the capital for most of my time. And yet, why does the mere fact that Hisch is there, where I haven¡¯t lived for too long, instantly makes me think that ¡®I want to go back¡¯¡­¡­ It was a complete mystery. When I arrived at the mansion, the butler, the maid, and other employees were there to greet me. I greeted the familiar faces lightly and headed to my room, and the inside was perfectly maintained with no change from when I had left. ¡°I want to change into something more comfortable.¡± At my words, the maid politely opened the closet. The inside was neatly arranged without a speck of dust. If anyone looked at it, they would wonder if the owner of the room had only just gone on a short trip. ¡°The Master always tells me to take good care of it.¡± The maid smiled fondly and whispered so, as if to say a touching family love, but I just smiled without saying a word. After that, well. Change into casual clothes, meet my father. After hearing from my father why I came here, I nodded to him saying that I thought it was a distance I could see on the map. That was it. However, there was one official job waiting for me to finish before I lay down after working in earnest. ¡°What do you mean an event at this time of year? No one has any sense of crisis.¡± The old-fashioned invitation handed over by the butler belonged to a countess who was also a prominent figure in the capital. Her son is getting engaged this time, and there¡¯s a celebration party or something. Seriously, these people are also insensitive to safety. Do you really want to get together and eat and drink when the cathedral looks like that? I clicked my tongue as I said that, and my father answered. ¡°Countess Richert was reluctant to hold a party, but as far as I know, the prince actively recommended it.¡± ¡°Oh my, our prince must have had something in mind.¡± The butler, who was standing next to me, gave a strange expression to my Tallulah speech, but my father remained silent as if he was agreeing. For your information, the Duke of Catlan was a family who had been faithful to the royal family for generations. That being so, both my father and brother used to treat the prince with a casual expression. For example, if the prince takes a sword and he falls down and twists his feet, they¡¯ll just say, ¡®It¡¯s a great way to fall.¡¯ To unwind the rigid atmosphere of the meeting, when the prince told a joke, he would say seriously, ¡®Your Royal Highness, it was the most beneficial and interesting joke I¡¯ve ever heard¡¯. Even me, watching it from the side, wonders if they are turning the prince away, but our naive prince always blushed shyly at Catlan¡¯s all-out effort. And speaking of me, I was a sidekick to such an innocent 16-year-old prince for educational reasons that he should be praised for anything he did. He is even a boy who is struggling on behalf of a sick king. ¡°Perhaps he wants to reassure the nobles. I mean, it¡¯s not that terribly disturbing. Maybe he¡¯ll talk a little bit about the results of the investigation at the party.¡± ¡°Has the results of the investigation come out yet? What did the tower say?¡± ¡°Well, they always talk vaguely, don¡¯t they? You could say it¡¯s almost right, but it¡¯s possible that it isn¡¯t, something like that.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± That¡¯s easy for them to say, bastards. ¡°¡­¡­ It was so big that the cathedral collapsed. It was the most symbolic building that could be seen anywhere in the capital. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s behind this, but I am sure. It seems certain that an intelligent being was involved.¡± ¡°Come to think of it, the Lord¡¯s Castle in Ensis was even attacked.¡± As if they were aiming for the most important place in the territory. My father nodded and said. ¡°Yes, that thing you didn¡¯t even talk to me about until I asked.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I smiled awkwardly and silently sipped the tea in front of me, but for some reason my father didn¡¯t continue any further. ¡°As a lord who is now in charge of a territory, it must have been difficult for you to step here after such an incident. Anyway, thanks for coming, Liddell.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not something to be thankful for by my father. But why are you nagging so little?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± My father looked at me quietly. ¡°Because you have always done your part well. You probably didn¡¯t do so because you thought you didn¡¯t have to tell me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°But sometimes I feel a little lonely, Liddell. Especially since¡­¡­ you were seriously ill, you¡¯ve become more confident than before. Of course, you used to be a wonderful daughter, but¡­¡­¡± ¡°Father.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ That must be the process of becoming an adult. But please understand this father¡¯s lonely heart sometimes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I felt a little guilty every time he spoke to me like this, not as a dignified duke, but as a father of a daughter. After all, I was not his daughter. His daughter was already dead, and I was just acting in that skin. CH 21 So I actually thought a lot about it at first. Should I be honest? Your daughter is dead and I¡¯m a completely different person. Even if I said that, it was unlikely that he would believe me. On the contrary, I would have had more doctors in charge of me because I had gone crazy. But in the end, even if it ends with vain words, the thought that I should have tried it for those who care for their daughter bothered me the whole time, and in fact, I was still a little concerned. Maybe that¡¯s why. I have the people of the Duke of Catlan, my father in front of me and my brother. I really liked them for awkwardly giving out love that I had never received in my life, but I was more sorry than that. ¡­¡­ Because the thought that I should not covet was stronger. ¡°¡­¡­I will.¡± Maybe it¡¯s better for them if I hide the fact that their daughter is gone. ¡­¡­it¡¯s the worst thing to think about. However, no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn¡¯t come to a conclusion. ¡°Oh right, father. Can I stay in the study room for a while then? There is something I want to find out.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter¡­.. If there¡¯s anything you want to know, I can find out for you separately.¡± I smiled at my father¡¯s kind words and shook my head. ¡°It¡¯s just because I want to find out personally.¡± I couldn¡¯t tell my father or the royal family about Hisch¡¯s abilities until I had more information than anyone else. Information is power. Moreover, if the attack of monsters continues like the previous day, the future of the apocalypse will come. I had to come up with measures in advance so that he wouldn¡¯t get hurt and that he wouldn¡¯t be taken advantage of. At my firm answer, my father looked disappointed again and then nodded. And a few days later. When I climbed into the carriage with sunken eyes, my brother, Lewis Catlan, looked a little worried. ¡°You look very tired. Are you alright?¡± Sitting across from him, almost collapsed, I tilted my head back. I stayed up all night for a few days, so I was not feeling well, and my clothes were uncomfortable, which made me feel like I was going to die. However, I can¡¯t attend a party in my daily clothes¡­¡­. ¡°I¡¯m dying.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you skip it today.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay. I¡¯m afraid to think about what the vassals will say later, if I don¡¯t do official duties like this.¡± They were already annoyed by the marriage I had made at will. To be honest, I didn¡¯t care what my position in the Catlan family was. However, Catlan¡¯s father and son would not like this situation in which their beloved daughter or sister was neglected within the family. I didn¡¯t want to see them upset over just this. It could be said that it was my duty as a person who played the younger sister or daughter they loved. Well¡­¡­ It would have been better if I had really behaved like the original young lady Liddell, and married Miller. Lewis¡¯s expression darkened at my words. ¡°You were caring about that. If they were to pose any kind of threat to you, neither I nor our father would stand still.¡± I knew that it was not a simple thing to say. The loyal retainers and blood relatives in noble families are in a complicated position due to the relationship of interests, so even if they are direct blood relatives, they cannot easily silence the vassals consisting of the lineage and the outliers. Although the power of the direct line was strong, it was said that they could not wield them with absolute power. ¡°It¡¯s just a social life, so I won¡¯t do it too much. I can just go to the party and say hello, chat, and eat something delicious. I¡¯m a married woman now, so don¡¯t you think it¡¯s okay to be less self-conscious?¡± My brother, who I had thought that my words to lighten the situation would ease his mood, hardened his face even more for some reason. ¡°By the way, why didn¡¯t the husband who had to escort such a wife come?¡± Oh my, why are you so displeased with Hisch. I hurriedly opened my mouth. ¡°Even if the lord is me, the owner of the estate is definitely my husband and I, so does it make sense for all the owners to leave at the same time now?¡± ¡°¡­¡­your husband is so fragile.¡± ¡°What? Hisch is so brave.¡± I raised an eyebrow and refuted. As for how brave Hisch was, it was enough to stand up against a monster that was almost the height of a two-story building without losing. But of course I couldn¡¯t tell him this, so I decided to tell him off and keep my mouth shut. Before I knew it, the carriage set off slowly. When I turned my gaze to the small window, the sunset was tilted diagonally and colored the surroundings red. I¡¯ve been eating and sleeping in Catlan¡¯s study for the past few days, trying to figure out the origins of Hisch¡¯s powers. Getting a hint from Miller, I decided to first check the branch of the Riot family, where Hisch was born, with the noble genealogy published every ten years. Usually this ability runs through blood. Since the five families of Catlan were usually intertwined by marriage, when it comes to those who were capable, there were many cases where the person was from there. Nevertheless, there were many cases in which their abilities were manifested even in distant branches that had them as their ancestors. Unsurprisingly, following the line of Riot, it began about 300 years ago when the second daughter of the Marquis of Firenze married the eldest son of a baron. And while I was picking out the suspicious bloodlines in earnest, the maids pulled me out of the study, dressed me up, and put me in this carriage. ¡°Phew..¡­.¡± I let out a heavy sigh of tiredness for a moment and then suddenly looked at the man in front of me. His face was so cold that it was hard to think that he was about to go to a party soon. ¡°Brother, I didn¡¯t know I was going to be your partner even after I got married.¡± I laughed out loud with the intention of making fun of him in order to lighten the mood. ¡°When will spring come to my brother? Are you seeing any women?¡± ¡°¡­..none.¡± ¡°Ey, there must be at least one.¡± Lewis stared at me with his eyes wide open. ¡°You have a much older mindset than our father.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± What, like the face of a relative who seems to be annoyed by talking about marriage or employment on the holiday. Are you saying I¡¯m now a Kkondae[1]! This is how I am judged as a young Kkondae and the conversation ends. I put my hands to my mouth and spoke in an exaggerated tone. ¡°Come to think of it, Miss Roselia is the only woman near brother, right? No way¡­.?¡± The name of Roselia, Sein¡¯s older sister and the eldest daughter of the Borter Family, Lewis Catlan¡¯s assistant, was spoken of purely to make fun of him. It was because I had heard that they grew up together from a young age and I knew that both Roselia and my brother were keeping good faith with each other. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± But what is that expression? ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Brother¡­ No way?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Even inside the carriage, which was darkened by the setting of the sun, it was quite noticeable that his earlobes were red. No, I was just trying to make fun of you, but why is it suddenly a youth drama? I became serious and didn¡¯t say anything. And Lewis stubbornly kept his mouth shut and turned his head. So I¡¯m just wondering how many of Catlan¡¯s family were married to the Borter family. Whether there would be any opposition from other vassals, in the first place, Miss Roselia was exhausted from overcoming the awkwardness in the carriage and contemplating whether to see my older brother as a romantic partner. Shortly after Liddell left, Hisch received an offer from Sein. It was to do a simple experiment on his powers. There was no particular reason for Hisch to accept the offer. It was because he himself was curious about the results of the experiment, and the gaze of Sein, who seemed to see himself as a simple subject, was new. On a large table, ashes of different amounts were piled up at regular intervals. Hisch looked down at his hand. Not just people. ¡°It seems that you can use that power for everything that has life. Do you feel tired?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I don¡¯t.¡± He was a gardener. Caring for plants, trees, and flowers. Hisch didn¡¯t want to hurt anyone, but he didn¡¯t want to be frustrated that he was only erasing things. He wanted to be confirmed as a person who can take care of and nurture life. So he became a gardener¡­¡­ In fact, Hisch was a little saddened by the fact that even those things might have been harmed if he had put his mind to it. At the same time, he was also relieved. Liddell may be right. Fear comes from the unknown. Contrary to the fear that he didn¡¯t know how far his power was, the result of his acceptance made Hisch see the situation more calmly. ¡°On the other hand, there was no response when you touched things that have no life, such as stones, iron, and ore.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s interesting.¡± Interestingly, Hisch thought that the man in front of him was not easy. The gray-haired man was only a little surprised at first when he saw Hisch¡¯s abilities, but after that, he was really focused on discovering the characteristics of his abilities. ¡°¡­¡­¡­I didn¡¯t expect you to come up with such an offer to me.¡± TL Notes: [1] ?? or Kkondae is an expression used in South Korea to describe a condescending person. It is an older person who believes they are always right. (And you are always wrong.) CH 22 At Hisch¡¯s words, Sein, who was busy writing something down, suddenly raised his head. ¡°I thought¡­¡­ you didn¡¯t like me. I thought this would make you avoid me more.¡± ¡°Well¡­ I won¡¯t deny that I didn¡¯t think about it at all.¡± At first, Hisch was jealous of everyone around Liddell. It was childish and narrow-minded, but he still was. He has no power, status, or wealth, but rather a very insignificant person with strange and frightening power. There were many great people around Liddell, as if they were drawn to her sparkling charm. From the man in front of him, to the knight wielding a sword in the training hall of this mansion now, and Miller Firenze, her business partner¡­¡­ Why did Liddell choose him over all of them¡­¡­ He didn¡¯t know how he was standing by her side and not them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say this to Mr. Hisch, but Miller Firenze was actually a pretty good marriage partner.¡± Sein shrugged. ¡°Since he doesn¡¯t seem to be in control of his wife¡¯s outside life¡­¡­ the lord can do more with the wealth of the Firenze on her back. Well¡­ There was a time when I thought so.¡± ¡°You seem to be thinking differently now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­as a result. And how dare a vassal complain about the decision of the lord. I just let her achieve what she wants.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Hisch lowered his gaze in silence. And thought of his wife. Liddell. Hisch was a man who had been anxious all his life for fear of ruining something. He was afraid of his own strength. As far as no one can imagine. Perhaps if it weren¡¯t for Liddell, he would have only been busy avoiding people, and would not have been able to have a deep connection with others for the rest of his life. Liddell made his problems seem trivial. ¡­¡­maybe it¡¯s because she¡¯s a strong person with consideration and responsibility. His lovely and perfect wife. And him with a flaw somewhere. ¡°So what if Liddell¡¯s decision was wrong?¡± Hisch said so in a self-deprecating tone and raised his head. ¡°Then what would you do?¡± Sein narrowed his eyes at his words. The atmosphere was so strange that he doubted whether he was the Hisch Ensis he had seen. Black eyes that sank low. For a man who had reacted naively to everything like that, there was something cynical about him. Sein, who narrowed his eyes and looked at Hisch, opened his mouth. ¡°¡­¡­Well, Mr. Hisch asking me about it seems to prove that the lord¡¯s decision was not wrong.¡± A person who has a really bad heart would not confess his guilt like this before it even happened. ¡°But, if Mr. Hisch could tell me a little bit about what you are concerned about, I could be of some help.¡± However. There was some truth to what Miller Firenze said that day. Those who use special abilities often felt that they were different from others. It could be seen as a kind of sense of the chosen people. And by the looks of it, Hisch¡¯s power was powerful. Only God knew how Hisch¡¯s perception would be distorted if he had the ability to take away the vitality of all living things just by touching them. At that moment, the two of them came up with something similar. Have you ever committed a murder? Sein suddenly thought of that. He thought of the most morally reprehensible act he could blame. And a noble to the bone, he concluded that killing a couple of people would not be a crime. Hisch, on the other hand, was thinking this. Murder wasn¡¯t the problem. The problem was just that it was surprisingly easy to hurt people. The party I attended for the first time in a long time remained unchanged. Under the colorful chandelier, people were laughing hahahoho, but most of them were only having conversations that were dotted with pretense. But, well, isn¡¯t this what the social world is all about? However, it was clearly felt that the atmosphere was less lively than usual. Even so, the center of the capital was attacked by monsters that suddenly appeared. In the midst of this, the party itself was a blessing. Still, thanks to the public¡¯s attention to the incident, the fatal master-servant love affair between me and Sir Roelich seemed to have died down a little. A lot of people were hurt and it was heartbreaking, but it was fortunate for me. Lewis was chatting with other nobles after entering, and I was finishing greeting the main characters and organizing my thoughts by eating delicious things. If it weren¡¯t for the lady, who approached me with a happy face, the time of contemplation would have been a little longer. ¡°Oh, Lady Catlan! It¡¯s been a long time. Ah, should I call you Baron Ensis now?¡± Curly orange hair swayed brightly to match her personality. This young miss in front of me is Charlotte Avenue. Well¡­¡­ Would it be appropriate to call her my successor? After I quit my job, she was appointed to assist the Marquis of Ophius. ¡°Lady Avenue. It¡¯s been a while. How are you?¡± ¡°Oh my, of course. Everyone, come over here. It¡¯s been a long time since the princess of Catlan came to the capital!¡± No, you¡¯re not supposed to spread the word to the neighborhood. While I faltered, the young ladies flocked around me like some hyenas. I¡¯m telling you in advance, but Charlotte and I weren¡¯t very close, but we weren¡¯t hostile to each other either. In fact, there is no other person who has a close relationship with the successor as well as the predecessor who did a good job of taking over. However, the young lady in front of me with her blue eyes twinkling, um¡­¡­ In a good way, she was interested in many things and in a bad way, she was a person who liked to consume gossip. ¡°Princess, it¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen you, should I call you Baron now?¡± Like a gathering of larks, I was pushed by the energetic young ladies and eventually dragged out on the balcony close to the garden. It was fortunate that they would not look at the marriage between me and Hisch with pity because we were acquaintances. After making a light check on each other and saying hello, one of them said with twinkling eyes. ¡°Baron Ensis! How is your married life going?¡± Come to think of it, most of the young ladies who gathered around me were unmarried. Right, they¡¯re at a very curious age. ¡°Well¡­¡­ I¡¯m happy.¡± ¡°Kya~!¡± ¡°The princess talked about happiness~!¡± What is it? We talked about something very normal. What¡¯s this reaction? Do I look like I don¡¯t even know happiness? Charlotte also said with a grin. ¡°I can¡¯t believe the baron said such an embarrassing thing. How happy are you that it springs out of your mouth so naturally. Ahh, I envy you! I wish I could meet that kind of fateful love.¡± ¡°Hisch and I¡­¡­. Mm. Come to think of it, I think it¡¯s fate.¡± It deserves to be called that way, in that unlike other nobles, it is not a political marriage. I wonder if the tag attached to me when I said I would marry Hisch was also a woman who was crazy in love¡­¡­ Well, that¡¯s what happened. My words, once again, brought out exclamations among them. One of them waved her hand and said. ¡°But when the baron said she was getting married, I wasn¡¯t worried at all.¡± One of the young ladies suddenly opened her mouth. ¡°If it¡¯s the Baron, I think you¡¯re going to live well somehow? Even if you change the environment¡­¡­ Oh my, excuse my words. I just thought you would change it and live just right for yourself.¡± ¡°Right. Well, no offense at all, but¡­¡­. Even though I heard that the husband is a person without a title, somehow I thought that the baron would support him well?¡± ¡°What on earth are the young ladies¡¯ impressions of me?¡± When I asked aloud what I was thinking about because I couldn¡¯t stand it, no one answered and just laughed haha hoho. You people, answer me! Did I look so tough¡­¡­ It bothered me a little, but I decided to just change the subject, so I opened my mouth to break their fantasy a little. ¡°¡­¡­Yes, well. But it¡¯s a lot harder than you think.¡± ¡°Of course, Baron! The Baron has lived without her husband for more than 20 years, and your husband must be the same. How can people who lived in different environments work together in such a short time?¡± Charlotte said with her eyes wide open. I blinked blankly because what she said, who was never married, was the penetrating truth. Come to think of it, I used to think like Charlotte, too. I also felt that such a determination was clouded because it suited Hisch more than I thought. Charlotte sighed deeply. ¡°Phew, I can¡¯t wait to meet a good partner and build a family. But what is this? Even in this chaotic atmosphere, I can¡¯t believe my partner is my boss at a party held after a long time¡­¡­ Of course, it¡¯s not because Marquis Ophius is lacking.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­ Did the Marquis also attend?¡± Callen Ophius. Although I resigned, I thought I should at least say hello to my immediate supervisor who I owe in the past. Charlotte said heartily when her mind as an office worker revived and asked questions. ¡°Yes, over there. Huh? Where did he go? Well, he must be somewhere there?¡± No, can you just leave your boss behind and walk around freely like this? But Charlotte just shrugged her shoulders lightly without care. CH 23 One of the young ladies, who burst into laughter at that attitude, opened her mouth. ¡°The Marquis, too. No matter how good your work is, you should get settled down soon. Of course, the Marquis is a good person in many ways, so there must be a lot of women approaching him, but he doesn¡¯t pick a good one among them.¡± ¡°Perhaps he¡¯s postponing it because of his nephew he adopted. Did Mr. Esdelle turn eighteen this year?¡± ¡°If you have someone to support you, you should think about getting married even more.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t your eyes too high?¡± There were a lot of young ladies from pretty decent families, but it seems that no one had feelings for Callen, who was relatively old. Even if there was a lot, Callen was in his late 20s, but¡­¡­ Charlotte snorted and said: ¡°No, he¡¯s shy. This is the end of the topic of his sad love life.¡± ¡°That gentleman? You¡¯re lying!¡± Wow. Charlotte really seemed to be doing well as his assistant to even notice that Callen was shy. While we were talking about this and that, some of the young ladies were slowly trying to express their interest in Sir Teddius and my rumors of love (?), when a loud voice was heard announcing the prince¡¯s arrival in good timing. As I hurriedly turned my eyes to talk to him again, the prince I saw for the first time in a long time was moving while everyone was paying attention. After that, Esdelle Ophius was seen. He was the nephew of the Marquis Ophius, who was just mentioned. The young man, who was following the prince with clear eyes, was smiling with composure. Why does it seem like the disparity in our life experiences is not so different when the age difference is two years. In the midst of such thoughts, a group of nobles who wanted to impress the prince surrounded them. I should at least say hello¡­¡­. Thinking so, I was looking sideways, and soon Esdelle found me and looked happy. As he whispered something to the prince, the purple eyes that symbolized Kleinin¡¯s royal family stopped at me. Oh my, I should take better care of my heart from now on. ¡°Baron Ensis.¡± When the prince came first to find me after breaking through the people, the surroundings quickly became quiet. The prince and I could not be said to have a great personal relationship, but anyway, it was natural that he looked at me, a blood relative of the duke, first. The prince, whom I saw for the first time in a while, seemed to be a little tall without meeting for a few months. And a little heartbreakingly, the smile that smiled at me looked very slightly exhausted. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you after such a long time. I wanted to go to your wedding, too. Did you like my present?¡± Oh, I forgot. That¡¯s right. He gave me a huge mine management right as a gift. No, this cannot be said to be negligent, because the recent events in my life were so shocking. I smiled, managing my expression, but Esdelle, who made eye contact with me, looked at me with a smile on his face. This is why I don¡¯t like him. Of course, Esdelle wasn¡¯t omnipotent, and he could only read the fragmentary thoughts that the other person had from time to time. If what he heard just in time was important information, it would be a disaster here. I¡¯ll stop thinking about this. ¡°I see the future of Kleinin. How can I express my gratitude for the tremendous congratulations I have received? I greeted you through a letter, but thank you again for your consideration, Your Highness.¡± The prince smiled beautifully at my words. ¡°Considering your contribution, you deserve it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Hands.¡± He reached out to me and spoke briefly. And I naturally grabbed his hand, too. For the royal family, only one ability was handed down from generation to generation, and that was the ability to distinguish the power of another talented person and measure their size. So, it can be said that this is a ritual. To show others the special bond between the royal family and the five families who support him. Power entered his hands. Maybe it¡¯s just my feeling, I often felt like something intangible was going through me whenever I touched him. The nobles around us looked at us quietly, as if they were seeing something reverent or something strange that they couldn¡¯t understand. A very short time passed, and soon the prince began to speak. ¡°I¡¯m relieved that you still feel the same.¡± It was one judgment that my power remained the same. I politely bowed my head. ¡°It is all thanks to the blessings of the kingdom and its blood relatives.¡± This is why I didn¡¯t want to bring Hisch to the capital. ¡­¡­No, I should stop thinking about this. At my words, the prince said with a soft smile. ¡°Then enjoy the party.¡± With a brief greeting, the prince left first, but for some reason, Esdelle, who had been sticking to him like a gum, was still looking at me and smiling. While the surrounding nobles secretly moved their steps and gazes toward the Prince, Esdelle Ophius approached me and greeted me. His gorgeous golden eyes curled in the shape of a half moon. ¡°Princess, it¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ It¡¯s been a long time, young master Ophius.¡± ¡°Not being able to attend the wedding was a burden on my heart. I am very happy to see the princess like this again.¡± I sighed inwardly when I saw Esdelle talking like that as if he really had no self-interest. I didn¡¯t hate Esdelle. I just feel a little pity. And, I thought that his life must be hard. ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have to be so concerned about me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s what makes me afraid to meet the Young Master.¡± Esdelle Ophius, who reads people¡¯s minds, smiled brightly. ¡°But today¡¯s princess is a little strange. You always had a tendency to say anything to me as if you had given up.¡± I was despondent, saying, ¡®Okay, listen to your heart¡¯s content¡¯. Anyway, the only thing that comes to mind is simply, ¡®What are you eating for lunch today?¡¯ ¡°Today¡­¡­ you seem to have a lot to think about about your husband.¡± I decided not to think about anything else and grinned. ¡°It¡¯s an invasion of privacy.¡± What if I was thinking about this and that that shouldn¡¯t be known by an 18-year-old teenager. At my words, Esdelle shrugged his shoulders as if saying ¡®Let¡¯s consider it that way.¡¯ ¡°By the way, have you already met my uncle?¡± ¡°Marquis Ophius? No. I¡¯ve been looking for him since a while ago, but I can¡¯t find him.¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡­ Maybe he got embarrassed and hid.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Does the Young Master think the Marquis is a small and precious, little animal?¡± ¡°If the princess can hear uncle¡¯s heart, you will know that it cannot be expressed only by the word small animal. What a shame.¡± Is he joking or is he serious. Callen is a man who is shy and secretly looks out for others, but he is just a man who overshadows his timid side with his gorgeous appearance and cheerful demeanor, not a man whose protective instinct soared as the young man in front of me said. Well¡­¡­ He was an uncle who almost raised him, so he looked infinitely adorable. Esdelle, who must have read my thoughts, just smiled and opened his mouth. ¡°From what I heard from others, my uncle must have been out in the garden outside the hallway. Would you like to go and say hello?¡± What you hear is not what you think it means¡­¡­. I didn¡¯t even have the heart to tackle [1] him, I just said thank you and quietly moved towards what he said. The night air was quite cold. I had grown accustomed to the climate of my territory located to the south of the capital, and I regretted not bringing a shawl to wear over my shoulders. It was the first time I had come to the mansion, so I didn¡¯t know the structure, but fortunately I was able to find a place similar to a garden after walking around. Then, I quickly found the figure of the man looking up at the moon. Looking at him from afar, whom I hadn¡¯t seen in a long time, I wrapped my hand around my cheek. Hmm¡­¡­ Looking at it this way, the handsome man is definitely a handsome man. The man¡¯s golden eyes were much sharper than that of his nephew, shining brightly in the dark. Even Callen is just a supporting role in , so to those who are curious about how handsome the male protagonist and the sub male are, think about it. They are so handsome that I want to use real profanity. Well, I didn¡¯t have much to do with them because I don¡¯t usually get into society unless there¡¯s a public affair. ¡°Marquis.¡± Callen, startled by my call, turned to look at me. He sprang up from his seat with wide eyes. ¡°Liddell. What brings you so far¡­¡­.¡± Perhaps because of his sudden rise, he staggered greatly. This man was a retired knight. A person who was fatally injured and had no choice but to let go of the sword. I glanced around him, but I couldn¡¯t find the cane he usually carried. ¡°I was looking around to say hello because the Marquis was present. Well¡­¡­ Young Master Ophius gave me a hint.¡± ¡°That guy¡­¡­¡± I stood in front of Callen while he muttered with a sour face. The man quickly changed his complexion and said cheerfully. ¡°So, how have you been, Liddell Catlan? You look much better. You seem to be enjoying your country life properly away from the hustle and bustle of the capital.¡± CH 24 ¡°Of course, Marquis. What did I say? I said that my dream is to be a good wife, right? I am living that dream well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­can¡¯t you just stop that lame joke? I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re a good wife. If some really smart young ladies hear it, they will be shocked.¡± No, this guy? Are you saying I¡¯m not mature? I thought so, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s right to say no considering my recent conflict with Hisch. I¡¯m angry. The man was joking and laughing, but I glanced at his intermittently trembling legs and opened my mouth. ¡°Well, only my husband needs to know my wisdom.¡± ¡°Hoh, my gosh.¡± ¡°By the way, the night air is a little chilly, so why not go back?¡± I said to him, with my arm outstretched. ¡°My legs hurt a little because I wandered all the way here looking for the Marquis. Would you please help me? You can do that for me, right?¡± At my words, Callen¡¯s eyes widened a little, and soon frowned and lowered his head as if holding back something. I was trying to be considerate, but maybe I hurt his pride? However, contrary to my worries, the man opened his mouth after a while. ¡°¡­¡­I really can¡¯t beat you.¡± He squeezed my arm. I gave him strength as if supporting his arm to make it easier for him to walk. We walked in the garden silently for a while. Indeed, the mansion was quite large and well-managed, making it understandable that the prince interfered at the party. A flower I saw for the first time caught my eye in the dark, and while I was pondering meaningless thoughts about what its name was, the man next to me suddenly opened his mouth. ¡°¡­¡­Right, Liddell. How¡¯s your marriage going?¡± His question was a little unexpected. I never thought he¡¯d ask someone¡¯s private life so directly. I opened my mouth with a vulgar way of speaking. ¡°Of course, what bad things would even happen?¡± ¡°Why, after marriage, your spouse was different from what you thought¡­¡­ Isn¡¯t that common?¡± Hearing his words, I suddenly thought of Hisch¡¯s power, which is filling most of my head these days. I¡¯m glad the person next to me isn¡¯t Callen¡¯s nephew. I shrugged my shoulders. ¡°You have to be prepared for something like that and get married. How in the world can you only meet people who are right for you?¡± ¡°¡­Even so, wouldn¡¯t it be much better if you¡¯re together with someone who thinks ¡®whatever may happen, I will get along with you¡¯?¡± Callen said so in a low voice. But if I think about it, I wondered if there was anyone who could fit me as much as Hisch. My sweet and kind husband. The day I left Ensis and contacted him that I had safely arrived in the capital. ¡®I want to finish my work quickly and go back, so I think I¡¯ll lose contact with you for a while.¡¯ As I said so, Hisch, who was trying to hide his sullen face and nodded over the crystal ball, came to mind. Eh? I feel like I¡¯ve become an indifferent breadwinner who puts off the family because of work? ¡­¡­ When I recall those pasts, it seemed to me that it was Hisch who would be concerned about the marriage, not me. ¡°That¡¯s right, it would have been better if I was that kind of person.¡± When I said it, Callen lowered his voice and asked. ¡°¡­¡­if there¡¯s any problem¡­¡­.¡± ¡°No, not Hisch, but me. He¡¯s sacrificing so much for me, but I am a bit selfish.¡± I sighed heavily and glanced at Callen. Since I was neither a light-mouthed noble nor a person who gossips, I decided to talk about my situation a little bit. For example, the last time Miller visited the territory, I made a slip of the tongue. Even though I knew it was true and it would be unpleasant to meet my ex-fianc¨¦, I wasn¡¯t even considerate of Hisch. But as we talked, anger against Miller came rushing in, and I ended up releasing a bunch of complaints about him. ¡°Aren¡¯t I already married woman who has made an oath in front of a priest? I don¡¯t really know what I¡¯m going to do now. Or what in the world is the psychology of behaving pathetically like that to a person who has an owner.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You never know if my husband and I have a bad relationship. Even if there¡¯s a problem, we have to go through it together. No matter what you think, shouldn¡¯t you be considerate of those who have built a family now? Really¡­¡­¡± ¡°Ah, I see, Baron. I understand.¡± Callen ran his hand that wasn¡¯t holding me through his face. At that moment, I said this to cover up my embarrassment that I was talking too much. ¡°¡­¡­But why does the Marquis look like you were pricked?¡± ¡°When did I?! I was also cursing the damn Miller Firenze to my heart¡¯s content in my mind, I never thought of anything else¡­¡­¡± I didn¡¯t ask about that. Callen turned his head, muttering like that. You¡¯re overreacting. I smiled at the uncharacteristically silly response and looked straight ahead again. ¡°Right, come to think of it¡­¡­ Aren¡¯t you busy these days because of the recent incident? To investigate.¡± As he is the head of the family that the current king trusts the most among the five families representing the country, he seemed to be in charge of the investigations and reports on various mysterious phenomena alone. The man nodded immediately, as if my guess wasn¡¯t wrong. ¡°Even if it wasn¡¯t for the cathedral incident in the first place, the prince was very anxious to not let the damage increase beyond that. In the midst of that, a big incident like this happened¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Perhaps His Majesty¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­don¡¯t you think so? His Majesty is lying in bed¡­¡­ He must think that he should take charge even if he is alone.¡± It was a tearful filial piety, but when I thought that he was only a 16-year-old boy who is carrying such a heavy duty, I couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for him. However, seeing that no one around him may feel sorry for him, in the end, it is taken for granted that the prince should be in charge of all these things, which I think is a sad aspect of the social class system. ¡°So we have to be strong.¡± Callen, who muttered that as if he was making a promise, glanced at me. ¡°Protecting the Kingdom¡¯s people is the duty of those who stand on top of them.¡± Why are you looking at me? Do you want me to say something? I nodded my head. ¡°Well, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Because those people¡­¡­ include you and your family, too?¡± The man soon smiled mischievously, as if he had never told such a serious topic. ¡°I should do my best to protect the peace of your family, right?¡± (Callen) ¡°Oh my, thank you.¡± When I said that with a big smile, Callen laughed out loud. But the laughter soon died down, and the man bowed his head again and became silent. While we were having that conversation, we came back to the party hall again. Callen released the hand that held my arm first. The man said with a big smile, as if it was time to leave. ¡°Then, princess. It was nice to meet you today after a long time.¡± ¡°Me, too, Marquis.¡± Callen, who I thought would go back quickly after saying that, still looked at me with a smile. There was no sign of him wanting to say anything, nor was there any hesitation. Is it because he was glad to see me after a long time. I opened my mouth at his eyes looking at me as if he were observing me. ¡°¡­¡­I know you can¡¯t help it because of the situation, but don¡¯t overdo it.¡± Callen, who looked at me with a smile on his lips at my words and sunken eyes, laughed out loud, and tapped me on my shoulder. ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± The man who happily accepted the encouragement of his resigned subordinate nodded his head as if he were saying goodbye again and turned his back. The tremor in his legs, which seemed like a seizure, seemed to have subsided before I knew it. The homework-like party passed, and I was sitting on the bed of my room in the Duke¡¯s house. I was waiting for a while before using my ability to find the source of the mysterious phenomenon, which was my original purpose of coming to the capital. It felt strange no matter how many times I tried to use my abilities to the limit. How do I say this¡­¡­ It feels like a sacrifice before being offered to the altar. Still, I had time, so I was checking the letters the butler brought, but when I saw that the letter I had been waiting for arrived earlier than expected, I decided to open it first. The sender is Charlotte Avenue. It was a letter from a scarlet-haired lady who likes gossip. Inside the thick envelope were the materials I had requested of her. I decided to open the letter first. [Dear Baron Ensis. Since you and I have a relationship, I¡¯ll skip on the unnecessary greetings. Of course, it¡¯s not because I thought we had a great relationship. But we know that we both don¡¯t like empty formalities.] Oh¡­¡­ It¡¯s an unhesitating development that is to my preference from the start. [Enclosed is a copy of the journal of Evertail Piaget you were looking for. To be honest, it was the first time I learned that the Baron was interested in literature. The one who even wrote a story that elicited a person¡¯s primal fears? It was surprising to know that you are very well versed in literature.] Hey, do you read horror novels? Do you read horror novels? ¡­¡­was written in a rather noble tone. CH 25 [Evertail was the second son of Baron Piaget, who was the fifth cousin of Avenue at the time. Although the novel may have been successful, it is said that his reputation to the people around him was not that good because he doesn¡¯t leave his house. Maybe that is why he kept a diary quite diligently. Anyway, isn¡¯t the author such a sad creature? Even the records he wrote personally remain as historical records just because he made writing a business. Of course, I didn¡¯t mean to accuse the Baron by reading his personal records. However, what value is there of private writing written as a person before being a writer, and art seems to me to be still difficult. Anyway, Baron. I hope that the materials I sent will be a reference to the Baron, and I look forward to the day we meet again. With love, Charlotte Avenue.] Why, there was such a saying in Korea as well. When I die, never look through the files or search history on the computer and be sure to delete them. In that sense, the owner of the diary was very unfortunate that the record was circulating to people as historical records. Evertail Piaget was a member of the Riot family¡¯s ancestral family, and was not directly related to Hisch. Nevertheless, I was interested in him because of the record that he often spoke of unknown powers. Some called it a hoax, while others speculated that it was a figurative expression peculiar to the author. Anyway, in order to investigate the ¡®strong power of unknown origin¡¯ that appears in most of his works, I requested a record from Baron Avenue who is a relative of his¡­¡­ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I flipped through the so-called Evertail diary that Charlotte had given me, and my eyes were drawn to the front page. A part of the long line suddenly caught my eye. [The power within me is wriggling again today.] Oh¡­¡­ this is real. [¡­¡­I was a little careless, I feel like I¡¯m going to be eaten by the pitch black darkness¡­¡­ Ugh! I¡¯m barely coming to my senses right now, but I¡¯m worried about when this power will cover the world. But I have precious people to protect. I have to endure this power somehow¡­¡­.] ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ? ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ? What¡­¡­ is it? What did I just see? I checked again to see if I saw it correctly, rubbed my eyes and read it again, and this time, I held the paper with my index finger and flicked it. What is pitch black darkness? Why do you deliberately write words like ¡®Ugh!¡¯ in your diary? Eighth-grade syndrome [1] ? Did you have an Eighth-grade syndrome in a world where even the 2nd year of middle school doesn¡¯t exist, Evertail? At one point, it becomes questionable. I suspected that the power this man was talking about was not a literal power, but something that came from his own delusions. At this point, what Charlotte said about ¡®the author is a sad creature¡¯ may have been written with a genuine pity because the contents of the diary were horrendous. I was pondering whether the material I had obtained was just garbage, but I heard a knock at the right timing. ¡°Miss. They¡¯re ready.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Uh, okay.¡± I rose up, replying to the butler¡¯s call. Of course, he was not the only one who was selected to be investigated. Apparently the first suspicious subject that I pointed out ended in vain, so I walked away somewhat in a state of displeasure. A secret place where only a few employees can enter and exit under the patronage of the mansion. It would have been a familiar place to the real Liddell Catlan, but so was it for me. It was one of the spaces prepared for the manifestation of my ability. The sky was a bit overcast, but it was the perfect weather for that. In the small garden that was open on all sides, a man who I saw for the first time and Lewis Catlan were standing there with a cold expression on their faces. There was a small table and chair between them, and as always, I knew it was my seat. ¡°You¡¯re here, princess.¡± The man I saw for the first time said so as he fixed his glasses. You can tell just by looking at his sloppy attitude. This guy was a wizard. Lewis introduced the man¡¯s affiliation to me. Sure enough, he said that he was a wizard sent by the royal family and a member of the Magic Tower, a man who attended as a member of the royal family as an agent and observer. I heard his name, but I thought we would never meet again, so I just listened and nodded. Wizards usually avoid us. More precisely, high-ranking nobles with abilities. They were like scientists in this world, in modern terms. People who believe that there is an invisible principle in the world and live with the joy of knowledge that digs into the causal relationship. For them, we were a different species that used abilities that could not be explained even by the flow of mana, and they regarded us as beings they would not understand. Because, in their eyes, we would be like machines running without electricity, like airplanes flying without fuel. If we were not those in power, we might have had to fall victim to experiments on the magic tower to uncover the causal relationship of abilities. I passed between him and Lewis and seated myself in a chair that was obviously prepared for me. ¡°As you may already know, the parts that the princess will confirm are this place, this place, and this place.¡± The man said in a stern voice. Even if he did not explain it while pointing at the map, I had already understood everything, but I nodded my head as a courtesy. ¡°Are you ready, Liddell?¡± Lewis said in a slightly worried voice. I glanced at the map spread out on the table. As was the case with Liddell Catlan, the first thing I did after possessing this body and adjusting to it was to memorize the geography of this world. Because when this country commands me to use my powers, I need to know how the world is structured in order to see exactly where they have designated me. I smiled reassuringly at him and nodded, closing my eyes and naturally reached out to Lewis. If Sein was here, it would have been my loyal servant, as always, who would support me. As I felt Lewis grip my hand firmly, I opened my closed eyes with force. Numerous scenes passed in a flash. Most of the time it was a natural landscape, but sometimes I passed a market, and sometimes I glanced past a number of buildings. The intense vomiting sensation I feel when I return to my body makes me wonder if it¡¯s because my brain can¡¯t process too much visual information at once. I felt like I was about to lose my concentration for a moment, so I squeezed my hand, and Lewis, who was holding my hand, gave strength to my hand. I decided to check the target place step by step. First place. Nothing wrong. Second. Nothing wrong, either. The result was surprisingly bland. Although the magic tower was originally a ¡®Never mind if it¡¯s not¡¯ type. Still, given the limitations of my abilities, that is, after seeing it from a distance, I would have to lie in bed for at least two or three days. As I turned my head to check the last place, I felt a breath on my neck for a moment. My body will be in Catlan¡¯s mansion, and at least my brother will guard the area around it, so it wouldn¡¯t really happen. How¡­¡­. Something like a snake¡¯s tongue licked down the nape of my neck, making my hair stand up. I could feel Lewis reflexively tightening his hand in response to my reaction, but at that moment I heard a voice. [It¡¯s you] No, should I even call this a voice? It¡¯s like, [You¡¯re the one] It was like an oracle that an absolute being who could barely speak human language struck directly into my brain. I broke out in a cold sweat. I wanted to move my body randomly as if I were shaking off a bug, but I felt that if this vision I was looking into now was shaken, something really out of control would happen, so I decided to calmly close my eyes again. [who is] But the voice continued, to the point where I couldn¡¯t stand the tickling all over my body. As the horrible feeling continued, my body began to tremble like a seizure. I waved my hand wildly, wanting to shake off what I couldn¡¯t see. No. No. Liddell! Someone called me in a desperate voice. It must have belonged to Lewis, but I could hardly recover my ability, as if I had been grabbed by someone by the head. [interfering with the prophecy?] As I took one last deep breath with those words, I was back in the familiar garden. ¡°Heok¡­¡­¡± I coughed. ¡°Liddell, Liddell!¡± Lewis grabbed my face with an urgent gesture and pushed my head back. He desperately called out to me with a pale expression on his face as if he was really going to lose his mind. I blanked out. My brain was pounding and I couldn¡¯t keep my senses awake, as if something important had stopped functioning. However, I could feel some liquid dripping down my cheeks. I barely raised my hand to touch it, and it was bright red blood. Blood. Oh my God, I¡¯m shedding tears of blood. CH 26 ¡°Princess!¡± Just as I was thinking of that as an accident that seemed like it would never break, I heard an urgent but loud voice from somewhere. It was that man. The wizard who was the observer, the man who looked at me with slightly cold eyes. Over Lewis¡¯ shoulder, he approached me before I knew it, and he looked at me and asked me in a strong tone. ¡°What did you see?¡± ¡°Hey¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Princess. Please answer exactly what you saw. Where and what did you see?¡± This bastard¡­¡­. I stared at him helplessly, unable to speak because of lack of strength. I thought he was just a typical wizard because he was silent. It was just like them, pushing me with their slightly bloodshot eyes. Those who tried to drive us into unknown creatures, and not as humans. ¡°Princess, this is important. Please answer me straight before your memory fades.¡± Then, with a chilling sound of metal, Lewis blocked me as if he were protecting me from the man¡¯s gaze. Finally, my brother drew his sword. ¡°You¡¯re crazy, wizard. Even looking at Liddell¡¯s condition right now¡­¡­ Did you think you could treat Catlan¡¯s bloodline like this and still get out of this mansion without a hitch?¡± ¡°Young Lord, calm down. This is just a mandatory check. I am under the royal family¡¯s command¡­¡­¡± To be honest, I wished Lewis had scolded him a little more, but apart from that, I opened my mouth to make a record. ¡°Brother¡­¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t because the wizard in front of me was pretty, nor was it because he had great loyalty to the royal family. I just have to throw the bait and pass out so they won¡¯t bother me until I wake up. Responding to my small call, Lewis quickly turned to me. ¡°Prophecy¡­¡­.¡± I put words in my mouth that they would be most interested in. ¡°I said it was a prophecy.¡± And then I lost my consciousness. I repeatedly opened and closed my eyes. Sometimes I had my father by my side, sometimes with Lewis, and sometimes the maids were taking care of me. Every time I saw my family, the two men would unfailingly hold my hand and close their eyes as if to share the pain. When I saw them like that, I willed myself to open my eyes quickly. I came to my senses the next day barely enough to communicate. When I opened my eyes, my father, who I seemed to have occasionally seen in my state of vague awakening, was not present, and only Lewis, who had a calm expression as always, was by my side. However, his face was full of depth enough to be noticed only by those close to him. When he saw that I had opened my eyes, he jumped up and grabbed my hand. ¡°Liddell.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Brother.¡± Lewis frowned even more as I opened my mouth in a deep, hoarse voice. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡­.¡± I rolled my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m dying more than usual.¡± And I smiled as I told the truth. Then, Lewis scolded me for laughing even in this situation. However, his expression was a little more relaxed than before, so that alone achieved my intended purpose. Lewis plopped down in his chair as if relieved to see my smile. ¡°How are your eyes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. I can see well in the distance, ¡­¡­I can also see our brother¡¯s handsomeness.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Your husband has been contacted. First of all¡­¡­ I didn¡¯t tell him when you were coming back and just said you were a little busy without going into details. Do you want me to prepare for you to contact him?¡± Lewis said so, ignoring my joke. ¡°No. How haggard must I be right now. Hisch would be worried.¡± ¡°I think you wish for your husband to be worried.¡± Is that so? Maybe, but on the contrary, I didn¡¯t want to see Hisch feel heartbroken when he saw me. In fact, although my body was still heavy, I didn¡¯t feel much pain, and compared to the fuss of tears of blood, I felt like I could move after two days of recuperation as usual. Lewis looked somber as I shook my head. After a moment of silence, he opened his mouth. ¡°¡­¡­he was kicked out. I formally protested to the tower and sent a letter to the royal family.¡± I could tell who he was without having him explain. Before I collapsed, the sequence of events somehow seemed to be someone else¡¯s business. The voice of a man who urged me. Those eyes that focused on me. Perhaps he was a member of a faction that once advocated conducting experiments to uncover the source of the power of those with abilities. With such suspicions, I opened my mouth. ¡°That person¡­¡­ He was different from the wizards I usually see.¡± Lewis nodded. ¡°I thought the wizard whom the Royal Family dispatched to us was sending people to go, though.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Isn¡¯t His Majesty bedridden?¡± Ah. That made everything make sense. The 16-year-old prince is now unable to properly control various organizations. ¡°The reason he did such a rude thing to you¡­¡­ I¡­¡­¡± Lewis held his breath once, trying to suppress his anger, but he still spoke in a heated tone. ¡°He said he did it because he was afraid you¡¯d die as you are.¡± Haha¡­¡­. You die when you die, but you have to give away what you saw, that¡¯s what you¡¯re telling me, huh. However, the Duke and Lewis¡¯ anger seemed to be great when they heard the story. In the past, Liddell had collapsed and, for a brief moment, was declared dead by the physician. Shortly after that, I was breathing again, whether it was because I possessed her body or something. Therefore, talking about the death of their only daughter or sister in front of them was like touching their reverse scale. ¡°In my heart, I would like to suggest execution, but it is probably difficult with the authority of the prince. But my father is making every possible means, and he will make him pay for it, no matter what.¡± However¡­¡­ Wizards were rare. Being able to see mana was an innate talent, and there weren¡¯t many people who could handle magic. In addition, with the rapid development of magic technology, the value of wizards who could use magic stones to make various lives convenient only increased. As an organization of such wizards, the tower established itself as a powerful interest group. Therefore, although they were not treated like high-ranking nobles, they became a special class that was highly treated in society. However, they are trying to set a sharp edge against such forces, and it seems like they are very angry. ¡°Umm¡­¡­ A price, for example?¡± ¡°Actually, the talk is almost over. By breaking the circle around that bastard¡¯s heart.¡± That¡­¡­ From the outside, he looked quite young, but it was still a ring of mana that he had accumulated throughout his life, and it would be destroyed. I wondered a little whether the wizard would still think that he was fortunate to have survived, or that he would think that it was better to die than to live as a waste. ¡°The royal family has also sent a formal letter of apology. For the time being, they won¡¯t be looking for you because of your abilities.¡± I felt strange. The Catlan were known for being the most loyal to the royal family, and I am embarrassed to think that it was purely because of me that such a family was protesting so strongly against the royal family. Well, more precisely, they¡¯re getting angry on behalf of the real Liddell Catlan, not me. ¡°¡­¡­ Thank you, brother. I should thank my father, too.¡± ¡°Is this something to be thanked for? As a family, it¡¯s natural.¡± Lewis cut me off strongly. I just smiled and blinked my eyes. Even though I had recovered enough to speak, I was still tired. Lewis, noticing my mood, said as he prepared to get up. ¡°Anyway, rest well for now, Liddell. You don¡¯t have to worry about the aftermath.¡± He said so purely out of consideration for me. There would be a lot of things he wanted to ask. Perhaps the kingdom, the tower, and the family were curious. How could I ¡®hear¡¯ the voice of a prophecy when I only had the ability to ¡®see¡¯ into the distance? And what did the prophecy mean? I was told to rest in peace, but I will say I didn¡¯t know much about it as soon as I recovered. But there were some things I couldn¡¯t say. That the voice questioned the existence of ¡®I¡¯ for some reason. ¡°Good night.¡± Lewis fixed my duvet, stroked my hair a few times, and turned around. I could vaguely hear him closing the door and leaving. My consciousness was fading. Let¡¯s rest for a while. I hope Hisch doesn¡¯t worry too much. When I wake up, I¡¯ll try to figure out what the prophecy was¡­¡­ With those thoughts, I fell back into a coma. I decided to rummage through Evertail¡¯s diary while I laid in bed. Since there was only so much I could do lying down, I decided to read even those materials whose reliability was questionable as a pastime. I didn¡¯t know how old Evertail Piaget was when he wrote this, but I didn¡¯t have the strength to read it, so I read a line, looked into the air, read a line, gave strength to my hand, and repeated it. It was that serious. [Ugh, even today the power is pressing down on me¡­¡­ What the hell is this power? What is God asking of me?] [Ah, God. If there is a Supreme Being named You, please give me the reason for my cursed life as an oracle.] CH 27 No, what¡­¡­ I facepalmed and decided to skim through this embarrassing record as fast as I could. Damn it. The more I read, the more I reinterpreted the contents of the letter that Lady Avenue wrote to me. What? You have a bad reputation because you can¡¯t stand out? I don¡¯t think it was at the level of a bad reputation, right? I¡¯m sure everyone was just staring at you as if they were looking at a sad, pitiful lamb? The contents of Evertail¡¯s diary were uneventful. Whether it was true that he was a homebody, it usually consisted of stories about his family or close acquaintances, or about what works he had written through some kind of contemplation. In addition, it was now accompanied by¡­¡­. a rare eighth-grade syndrome narration. Seeing that he wrote a long story about being scolded by his parents, he didn¡¯t seem to be old. At least that¡¯s what Evertail looked like when he wrote this diary. I didn¡¯t even know where my initial motivation went, and I now began to skim through Evertail¡¯s diary like a promotional item I received along the way. I stopped and read only the parts that seemed meaningful or stood out. [Another voice inside of me was whispering again today¡­¡­. To ¡®open¡¯ the power¡­¡­.] I guess the fact that people with eighth-grade syndrome liked to use parentheses or quotation marks for meaningless words was something that went beyond dimensions. [There are times when I feel like I can¡¯t control my power¡­¡­ Every time that happens, I hold my hand tightly and mumble¡­¡­ ¡®Stay calm, stay calm¡¯¡­¡­.] He was writing his diary like a novel in case someone might not know that he was a writer. [The cake made by the nanny was delicious] Yes, yes, I see. Now, almost as if I was reading a diary written by my nephew, I suddenly stopped my hand on one page. [I want to know where this power comes from. I hate this power so much! I know that special power is passed down only to the people who founded the country, but this power is too ¡®powerful¡¯ compared to theirs¡­¡­.] [I¡¯m tired of being scared for no apparent reason! I¡¯m going on a journey to find myself¡­¡­ Ah, I¡¯m not really saying I¡¯m leaving.] The way he spoke was the same, but¡­¡­. I blinked. Because his hypothesis was almost like mine. Did he really have some power? And as I turned the next page, I saw several character profiles added under the existing meaningless diary. Some of them were listed in the Riot family genealogy seen in the Noble Handbook. Perhaps Evertail also looked into the past in his own standards as I saw a lot more people from the previous generation than what I did. In addition, Evertail even kept detailed records of their title, occupation, age, year of birth, reputation, and rumors. It feels like I''m blowing my nose without touching it [1] ? I flipped through his diary, reading through the information he had investigated. As Evertail in the diary grew up, the information of countless characters accumulated. A young person¡¯s desire to collect was sometimes surprising. Perhaps he took this as a hobby. But as I read it, I noticed something strange. Many of those investigated by Evertail usually died prematurely, or were killed by someone. Or ended their life barely getting married. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± As I investigated the information, Evertail gradually grew older, and his writing style became calmer. When the unrefined writing turned into an adult¡¯s, there were only a few pages left in the diary in my hand. At that point, Evertail left a very long message, as if it were a report concluding his investigation so far. [Those with this bloody power usually seem to have a gentle personality. Of course, that doesn¡¯t mean I am. It was only when I objectively summarized their reputation. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s God¡¯s arrangement or nature¡¯s providence for the devastation that would occur if we wielded this power randomly. Anyway, they¡¯re usually killed by someone, or they take their own lives. As if they had no regrets in life, they died young or lived alone without starting a family.] When Evertail pointed out something I vaguely felt as I read it, I held my breath before I knew it. Although he suffered from an eighth-grade syndrome, the boy who innocently vowed to find out about his own power became an adult with a very weary tone, leaving his thoughts behind. [I can understand why they made that choice. This power really doesn¡¯t help. Can this be called power in the first place? This is a disaster. It is not a power that can be wielded and subdued by others. It is not a power that can be used to gain wealth and power. It only instills fear in the other person. How could I blame them for feeling an instinctive eerie feeling at the sight of a blade that is unleashed without a sheath? The other person is good or bad, important to me or not. Regardless of that, it¡¯s just a power that proves that I can make someone disappear if I put my mind to it. I, to be honest, find this power bothersome, scary. I am afraid of others who will fear this power. Above all, I am afraid of the feelings that my loving family members will have for me. So I decided to simply forget this power and live. Digging into the source was of no use. Even if I find out, the end of the ancestors stuck to my mind like a curse and haunted me. So I¡¯m going to stop here and bury it in the past.] A diary that I thought ended with that had a few lines below that paragraph. It was scribbled like this in rough handwriting, as if voicing these thoughts were terrifying. [But I swear if anyone threatens the safety of those I love, I¡¯m willing to be a monster.] ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The few pages that followed were written by critics who regarded the diary as a literary source when viewing Evertail Piaget as a prominent horror writer. They added that the diary provided a glimpse into Evertail Piaget¡¯s boundless imagination and a solid universe for his future horror novels. But no one thought this was a record of facts. It¡¯s a matter of course. What is power or ability? From the perspective of a person who knows nothing, it would be complete nonsense. But I know it¡¯s not. ¡­¡­it was a strange feeling. What can I say? After all¡­¡­ this was a world inside a book. In books, the characters with tremendous power are often referred to as Munchkins [2] . The protagonists who are munchkins are, well. Although I can¡¯t be confident that I¡¯ve read all the novels in that genre. Those who usually wield that power are taken for granted. Humans cannot help but feel joy in gaining the upper hand in certain situations. In this sense, the protagonists naturally pressed their opponents with force, and the readers were also vicariously satisfied and enthusiastic with it. I was one of them. Whether the protagonist accidentally gained that power, grew up and gained it in the past, or an absolute person who lived in retirement after all his adventures. As it unfolds, they set an example for those who stand in their way, and the protagonist eventually reaches a happy future. Isn¡¯t that the essence of the story? But why? ¡®You really¡­¡­ weren¡¯t scared of me that day?¡¯ In the world of books, why do people who actually have such power¡­¡­ have these human worries? ¡°¡­¡­.¡± This is a fictional world created by the author. When I lived on Earth, I had certainly read a novel that told the story of this world. But since I was possessed here, I have embraced this world as a reality. How could I not? I feel vivid sensations in this world, and I have lived more closely with people who are more than those who appear in . But every time I saw the people who really think and act like humans. Very often, not the world in the book I read, but just¡­¡­ the thought that ¡®I¡¯ve fallen into a world I really know nothing about¡¯ came to mind and my heart shook. What is this, I just wanted to find out about Hisch¡¯s abilities¡­¡­ I had no strength in my body and was barely lying half on the pillow, so I threw away Evertail¡¯s diary and covered myself with a blanket. The floating feeling that suddenly filled my heart did not disappear, so I closed my eyes tightly and buried myself deep in the bed. The impact of the word ¡®prophecy¡¯ I uttered before I collapsed was tremendous, and many of those from above were very interested in it. It must have been even more so since the cathedral had been attacked. Even among them, countless interpretations seem to come and go. So I decided to do a quick investigation on the matter on my own. Prophecy? It¡¯s from a religion. It was a long-standing missionary means of a religion about God¡¯s discussion of future events that ordinary humans could not know. So I asked my father to let me read the prophecies kept in the royal library, and I was now following the librarian who was guiding me with a swagge CH 28 Information becomes a means of power. The more sensitive the information was, such as the books of prophecies which were not easily accessible to the majority, the more so. Although there were several books of prophecies that the Duke of Catlan obtained for a large sum of money, it would be different from the quantity possessed by the royal family. Even so, it was a bit surprising for me personally that I was allowed to access the confidential library of the royal palace. Perhaps the royal family was taking this matter seriously, to the point that they wanted to generously provide me with the data. A secluded place, a bit far from where people usually pass. We walked a little deeper between the rare buildings, and the door opened in front of where the librarian had stopped. ¡°Wow¡­¡­. It¡¯s bigger than I thought.¡± The librarian, who looked around the inside and was overly engrossed in her work at my words, looked at me with a proud face. ¡°We have had to expand a few times. I think it is Kleinin¡¯s blessing as the noble people of the country value books so much.¡± Yes¡­¡­. I listened to the sentiments of a passionate book lover. But it was huge. There was also a space on the 2nd basement level that could be climbed down with a ladder. And the space was filled with bookshelves full of books, so it was an overwhelming sight. The librarian who manages the library took the lead first. Since I had not been authorized to read all the books in this library, I quietly followed her. ¡°The books that the baron can read at will is the third column of this shelf.¡± It was only a fraction of this vast library, but knowing full well how much even that small volume was worth, I nodded silently. ¡°Have you read these books?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t remember exactly what it was about, but I¡¯ve read it.¡± ¡°Then among these¡­¡­ Were there any prophecies that predicted the current turbulence?¡± At my words, the librarian shook her head. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure. I don¡¯t know if there is something similar in the book of prophecies discussing the destruction of the world, but¡­¡­ I don¡¯t remember the details coming out.¡± Still, I kept my eyes on the back of the book, thinking that if I read it, there might be a hint. There were so many thick books that I wondered how many days I have to go in and out of this library to read them all¡­¡­ Just as I was thinking about it, something caught my eye quite by chance. It was a book that seemed remarkably thin compared to the other book of prophecies. It didn¡¯t even look like a book. It was barely in the form of a book, but it also felt like a notebook someone had put together by hand. I picked it up curiously, and the sense of incongruity increased. What¡¯s this? It looked like there are less than ten pages. Then the librarian, who clearly has a great affection for her workplace and the books here, looked at the book I had picked out and said with a bright face. ¡°It is the only book of prophecy in our Kleinin Kingdom that has been recognized by the Holy Kingdom.¡± ¡°Someone from our kingdom wrote it?¡± ¡°Yes. It was known to have been written by the Duchess of Levitea of her time.¡± Levitea¡­¡­? I looked again at the thin book in my hand, with an unfamiliar but familiar name. ¡°All other books of prophecies are copies or distributed by the Holy Kingdom, but this is the only original text we have in our kingdom. Ah, it¡¯s been preserved with magic, so you don¡¯t have to worry about damaging it.¡± Then without further ado. As I stood and flipped through the thin book, I paused when I saw the author¡¯s name on the first page. Ataraxia Levitea. It was a novel I read a long time ago, but I remembered the name of the main character. The main character of [I¡¯m A Wicked Woman, But I Want To Be Happy], in short, [I¡¯m A Wicked Woman], which was a previous work of . The possessor who changed the original story by possessing a wicked woman in a book who lived a miserable life. I hurriedly turned the pages. There, notes briefly written down that outlined the plot of the original novel that the protagonists of a transmigration novel might have written down at the beginning of the development, were organized. At that moment I was overwhelmed in a strange sense of incongruity. If this is the world in the book, and Ataraxia was possessed here from the same earth as I am. This ¡®original novel¡¯ that Ataraxia had read before her possession, which did not exist in my world¡­¡­ What the hell is going on? I flipped through all the plot of the novel that I have read already and remembered anyway and stopped at the appendix. In the back pages of the book, the cardinal¡¯s interpretation of the prophecy was briefly written. The name was Argen. For some reason, I think the sub male lead in [I¡¯m A Wicked Woman] had a similar name. [¡­¡­ Although this prophecy assumes a future that has never been realized, it should not be dismissed as absurd.] Written in neat and elegant handwriting, the story followed: [A prophecy assumes one of the futures that has the highest probability to eventually arrive, and whether or not it will arrive depends only on the possibility. In other words, in another world other than this world, this prophecy may have been realized as it was. If you think about it that way, sometimes one world acts as a mirror that allows us to gain insight into another world¡­¡­] ¡°What is this¡­¡­.¡± What a load of crap. The future most likely to arrive? A matter of possibility? Another future may have arrived in a completely different world? The more I read Argen¡¯s words, the more strange it felt. It¡¯s like¡­¡­ this is, ¡°It¡¯s like a parallel world¡­¡­.¡± As if it were a story¡­¡­. ¡°Yes?¡± I lifted my head at the sudden sound of a voice. Eyes wide open, a perplexed look. The corners of her mouth were slightly lowered. The librarian¡¯s facial features, which I hadn¡¯t even bothered to pay attention to until just now, became clear, as if her existence had only then been recognized. I slowly lowered my gaze and looked at my hand holding the book. The rough texture of the cover. The unique scent of books wafting from the library. For a moment, I stumbled at the sudden sense of reality. At that moment, my eyes opened wide at the sudden realization that crossed my mind. According to this person¡¯s reflection, perhaps this was not the world in the book I read. It may be just another reality that exists somewhere. ¡°¡­..Violet, you¡¯re still not sleeping?¡± Alan Levitea, heir to the Duke of Levitea, one of the cornerstones of the Kleinin Kingdom, returned to his bedroom late at night today. It was partly because of the royal order, but lately he was intent on subjugating monsters. In a way, it was obvious. The monsters had completely ruined his wedding, which was only once in a lifetime. In particular, Alan couldn¡¯t forget how his beloved partner was trembling with fear, or how she hugged him and cried, ¡®I¡¯m glad you¡¯re safe,¡¯ after he returned from solving the incident that day. She was the woman he had chosen to protect for the rest of his life. However, that resolution was overshadowed by the mess that happened on the happiest day of his life. Whoever was behind all this, he would make sure they paid the price. With that thought in mind, it was Alan who was devoted to the pursuit of the monsters. On the other hand, his wife, Violet, who had been seriously contemplating something with the lights on in her bedroom until late at night, looked at him with a forceful smile. ¡°You¡¯re here, Alan? Well¡­¡­. I couldn¡¯t sleep, so I was waiting for you.¡± At her words, Alan carefully sat on the bed with a worried expression on his face. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong, I was just thinking.¡± ¡°Violet.¡± At her husband¡¯s firm but worried tone, Violet managed to open her mouth. ¡°¡­¡­ Even when I fall asleep these days, I don¡¯t dream at all¡­¡­ If I dream about something, it would be helpful and good for you.¡± Alan sighed. He reached out and held Violet in his arms. ¡°You don¡¯t have to push yourself like that. Anyway, this ability we use is only a trace now. There is no need to feel burdened at all.¡± ¡°¡­¡­but in the past¡­¡­.¡± Violet pursed her lips to say something more, but soon closed her mouth. Alan continued softly. ¡°Are you talking about that dream?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always had that dream, but I can¡¯t dream about it anymore?¡± In the past, she lived like a commoner without even knowing that she was a precious descendant of a noble family, the Count of Valencia. Of course, even at the time when she didn¡¯t even think that such abilities existed in her, Violet had a dream she had been seeing all along. The dream always started with someone¡¯s death. With the death of a man she had never seen in her life. The black-haired man has always faced various deaths. One day, he was attacked by a monster and was eaten to death. There were times when he hanged himself. Or he would be betrayed and killed by his companions. After the man, who had no special features, died, a nightmare always began. As if that death was the beginning of everything, a brutal slaughter began. And there were also scenes where he and Alan appeared in the dream, fending off the outpouring of monsters from a certain territory. But strangely, the dream that she had been seeing since she was a child suddenly stopped at some point. And Violet had a hunch that she would never dream of it again. There was no basis for it, but she regarded it naturally as the truth. CH 29 ¡°¡­¡­ If I knew this would happen, I should have written it down in detail. That was definitely the ¡®future¡¯ that was coming¡­¡­¡± ¡°But if you don¡¯t dream anymore, doesn¡¯t that mean it is no longer the ¡®future¡¯?¡± At Alan¡¯s words, Violet raised her head. ¡°Then why¡­¡­. can¡¯t I see another future?¡± As if it wasn¡¯t something to show her. As if that future no longer had anything to do with her. Violet didn¡¯t really want to see such a tragedy again. However, this ability, which has consistently given hints about the future since she was young, suddenly disappeared one day and has deeply disconcerted her. ¡°Now is the time¡­¡­ when that ¡®dream¡¯ is more helpful than ever.¡± Alan gave more strength to his hand as he hugged Violet. ¡°Don¡¯t be so impatient, Violet. I haven¡¯t lived my whole life relying on this telekinesis either. This doesn¡¯t affect me at all. And so are you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a power I didn¡¯t even know existed. I appreciate your desire to be helpful, but don¡¯t push yourself too hard.¡± ¡®But still.¡¯ Violet thought of such a rebuttal first, but soon relaxed with the warm touch patting her back. And she closed her eyes quietly in his arms, which seemed to protect her from everything. No matter how much it was said that the distance traveled was increased thanks to the magic stones, it was still not easy for those without money to leave the land where they lived. In that sense, when Gran was selected as the Lord¡¯s knight, he was full of dreams. Of course, he knew he wasn¡¯t going to play, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel excited. Even the place where he would stay was the Duke of Catlan. One of the five best family residence mansions in the country! Tall buildings! Luxurious foods! Marvelous spectacles! ¡­¡­ he had been looking forward to, but was caught in the back by Bethel, who had been bothering him with Teddius Roelich since from the territory, and Gran only rolled in the dirt the whole time, let alone looking around the capital. Jane and Bethel didn¡¯t let him go sightseeing in the capital and dragged him straight to Catlan¡¯s Knights. The people there were already knights who had been loyal to high-ranking noble families for a long time, so they were already different from Gran, who had lived with the flow of water. They were also quite loyal to Liddell Catlan, the family¡¯s only princess. To a certain extent, when they learned that Gran was a knight of Liddell¡¯s territory, their eyes changed and they started rolling him like a dog. Even the testimony of Bethel and Jane, who had been in the same boat at Ensis, raised the morale of the knights and raised Gran¡¯s blood pressure, who was being beaten. ¡®That bastard is stuck as the disciple of Sir Roelich these days!¡¯ What¡¯s stuck? Stuck with a harpoon? What do you mean like a disciple? I¡¯m not a disciple! And just to be clear, I¡¯m five years older than Teddius Roelich! ¡­¡­although my skills may lag far behind. Anyway, that¡¯s what happened. Teddius Roelich, who achieved considerable heights at a young age, seemed to be an idol among knights. There¡¯s a bastard who studied under Sir Roelich? It was a matter that the knights could not stand. Anyway, due to a misunderstanding that was undeserved to him, Gran was unable to leave the mansion the whole time and had to be bullied in the name of training. After repeatedly coming to the training ground and the accommodation, Gran finally wanted to return to Ensis. Where did the pounding that he felt while heading to the capital go, and he just desperately wanted to go back quickly. ¡®It¡¯s really hard when you leave home.¡¯ This thought crossed his mind. Gran, who had somehow been unable to stand by her side due to all kinds of hardships, was only then able to see the lord¡¯s face again. However, he didn¡¯t know if it was because it has been a while since he had seen her, but the lord looked somewhat emaciated and tired. He wasn¡¯t the only one who felt that way, even the Duke who came out to see her off, and even the young lord showed signs of concern. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to rest a little longer?¡± ¡°Even if I rest, I will still go home and rest.¡± ¡°¡­¡­isn¡¯t this your home, too?¡± ¡°I want to see my partner as soon as possible.¡± Liddell Catlan said so with a pale smile at the Duke¡¯s seemingly disappointed words. Afterwards, the party moved slowly as the Duke had packed the small carriage with the various gifts he was giving to his only daughter. Gran, who was riding a horse right next to the carriage, glanced back. It was seen that the man who was second to none in the country except for the king was still standing tall and guarding this place. Whether she knows or not of the paternal love of the Duke. The lord rested her chin on her hand and looked up at the sky through the window of the carriage. ¡°Sir Oswald.¡± As if noticing the gaze that was looking at her, his superior suddenly called out his name. ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± ¡°Sir¡­¡­ Have you ever regretted not spending money when you should have?¡± It was a strange question that seemed to have nothing to do with her tranquil face as she counted the clouds passing by in a daze. ¡°Um¡­¡­ It¡¯s too vague.¡± Right¡­.. Liddell sighed and added: ¡°Sir needs to use it when you have to. There may not be a lot of money, but there is still a small amount of money. And if there¡¯s a novel you want to read, be sure to buy it on the spot.¡± An opportunity like that won¡¯t come again¡­¡­. Murmuring like that, the lord closed the window of the carriage. What novel? What was she talking about? Gran glanced at the closed window, dumbfounded that his superior only spat out what she wanted to say and left him hanging. Liddell Catlan was a novel [1] person. When he first heard that the Duke¡¯s daughter was coming as Lord of Ensis, Albert and other employees were not pleased. Albert even complained to Gran, who was the one who almost gave up on the mansion. What did he say? A person who was blinded by love, had an escape marriage, and was almost driven out of the family? This? Looking at the full carriages that lined up in a procession, Gran clicked his tongue. Lord Ensis, who was said goodbye to with such anguish, appeared slack at first glance. Rather, it seemed that the void left by her lack of vigilance was being filled by a vassal who had sharp eyes at her side. Her husband was so naive that he wondered if that woman with a lot of money and status had come down to enjoy the rest of her life with a man of her taste who would do whatever she pleased. But, as he continued to observe her. There was a strangely determined side to the lord. Obviously, good things are good, and there were a lot of parts that she just smiled and glossed over. It was the same in Gran¡¯s case. The Lord smiled and said that if he wanted to stay in the territory, he could stay as long as he wanted. From this fact alone, she was a very soft person who was unique in the world, but Gran didn¡¯t think so. ¡®If you just want to be satisfied with that, then do whatever you want.¡¯ Those eyes. As if contemplating something, soft but unlikely to allow anyone to invade. Eyes that are somewhat firm. So, for example, it was something like this. She may be able to tolerate and pass on many things generously as long as it doesn¡¯t cause much harm, but¡­¡­ But if there comes a critical moment. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Gran thought about it and shook his head. The procession was slowly but steadily approaching its destination. Seeing a familiar road made Gran feel at ease. Now he should never think about leaving his hometown again. Gran made a firm resolution to himself. The lord¡¯s castle, which was seen in the distance, gradually drew closer, and Jane, who was running with the carriage on the other side of Gran, was heard knocking on the window and reporting their arrival to the lord. The exterior of the castle, which had recently been heavily invaded by monsters, was still under repair, but it had been largely restored. And in front of it stood a group of employees, including Albert, whom Gran also knew well. Even further ahead stood the gray-haired vassal and loyal knight who always followed the lord like a shadow. Leading them, the lord¡¯s husband came out to greet them. Ensis now had a slightly strange governing system. This was because Catlan¡¯s daughter, who had directly inherited the territory, was called the lord and ruled the territory, while her husband, who had become Hisch Ensis, after marriage, was acting as the mistress of the lord¡¯s castle and consolidating domestic affairs. Others would say it was an unusual system, but the employees of Ensis who have been with them for a while, had different thoughts. Everyone would gather and talk about it quietly that it was a reasonable assignment. It was said that the lord who was a bit easygoing and the meticulous husband each took on a job that suits them well. Gran looked at the lord¡¯s husband, whose face brightened as soon as they came into view. The black-haired man was not very handsome, but he had a strange atmosphere. This was especially true when he was looking at his wife, Liddell. His black eyes, which had only been calm and serene, would sparkle as if they had finally found the light. Just like now. As the procession slowly stopped and the horses neighed, Hisch came running and stood in front of Liddell. ¡°Liddell.¡± CH 30 Liddell, who had just gotten out of the carriage with Jane¡¯s escort, turned her head and looked up at her husband. The vassal, who would normally stick by her side like a ghost, just watched the scene from a distance, as if to let the couple enjoy their loving reunion. Hisch, who was just smiling happily at the situation, opened his eyes wide for a moment and bent down a little to meet his wife at eye level. He reached out and touched Liddell¡¯s cheek. ¡°¡­¡­what happened?¡± Gran was inwardly impressed. As expected, they are husband and wife. The man spoke without hesitation what everyone around him must have thought of when they saw the slightly pale and thin Lord. Liddell glanced at her husband, who was looking at her with a worried look, and then reached out her hand. Gran was thinking that their lord would tell him not to worry and would snuggle up in her husband¡¯s arms and lightly greet him. Or, since there were so many eyes of the subordinates around them, they would maybe just hold hands quietly and lightly greet each other. But she reached out and grabbed the cheek of the man in front of her. It was a firm and flawless hand skill. Ignoring the breathing of all the knights and employees around her, Liddell puckered up her lips like a carp and kissed the bewildered Hisch. Kiss, It was not really just a kiss..¡­. It was so sticky that he wondered if there were tentacles stuck on his lips¡­¡­ type of kiss. It was no wonder that the man¡¯s face, which had only blinked at the sudden touch, turned red in an instant. The vassal, who usually looked pathetic when he saw all kinds of pestilences of the lord couple, had an expression as if he had written a groan ¡®Augh¡­¡­.¡¯ on his face. It was only Liddell who spoke in a carefree voice amid all the quiet uproar. ¡°It¡¯s a good height for a kiss.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m back, Hisch.¡± With that said, Liddell let go of the hand that had held the man¡¯s cheek, and Hisch squatted down as if he had lost his strength and buried his face deep in his knees. Just by looking down, one could see that the man¡¯s earlobes were red as if they had been burned by a fire. Dumbfounded by the two of them, who seemed to ignore all the eyes around them, Gran suddenly raised his head and made eye contact with the vassal who was still looking this way with a crumpled expression. It was the moment when a strange camaraderie blossomed. While receiving a brief report of what had happened in the territory in my absence, I was once again amazed at the meticulousness of Sein. Well, he didn¡¯t forget to investigate the mine I received from the prince. Something that I forgot, even though I received it. Seeing my reaction, Sein only said this in a calm tone. ¡°Didn¡¯t I take care of it well?¡± Oh my, is that so? How adorable. I looked at Sein with eyes as if looking at my grandchild who had done something admirable for the first time in a long time. ¡°However, there are still a lot of problems to be solved, so I think I should visit it at least once.¡± ¡°Me?¡± At my words, he looked at me as if I made no sense. ¡°Of course I have to move. It is not a place for the lord to step.¡± He really thought of me as if I¡¯m a great lord who controls a huge territory. It was a reaction that seemed like heaven and earth would open up once I took my butt off. I was tired of correcting his perceptions, so I turned my attention to the report on the magic stone trade and construction proposal. The Firenze Merchants sent an answer saying that they would actively respond to the magic crystal deal without having to go through Miller. The talk fell to the Merchant Head, and the transaction fee was also much less than expected. In fact, I still made a lot of money which was a good thing, but considering what was to come, no matter how much assets I accumulated, it was not enough. Yes, considering the future¡­¡­ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°And this is how the site for the tunnel construction was chosen. Considering the access to the capital, other tourism resources and the capacity of the floating population, these places were nominated.¡± With the money from the sale of the Magic Stones, Ensis decided to carry out a large-scale project to construct a tunnel in the mountain range that divides the territory. The mountain range lay horizontally in the territory, and it was also blocking the passage between the capital and Ensis. As a result, those who came up from further south to visit the capital usually had to circle the mountain range, and of course, there was no need to visit our territory. But what if they could go directly to the capital through our territory? In other words, there was a possibility that this place would soon grow into a transportation hub. And if something big happens, wouldn¡¯t it be good to create a passage in advance to cooperate closely with the capital, the center of the country? I made the decision with that thought. Right, it¡¯s a big project¡­¡­ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Lord. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve been able to concentrate since a while ago, so why don¡¯t you have a luncheon first and then get the job done?¡± I glanced at Sein who seemed to be saying in an elegant tone, ¡®Why don¡¯t you keep concentrating? Why is your mind in the bean field [1] ?¡¯ ¡°Sein.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Sein¡­¡­ I mean. You¡¯re a living person, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ What part is making you doubtful? I¡¯m curious whether I don¡¯t look like I¡¯m alive or a human.¡± Yeah, I¡¯m also dumbfounded by myself asking this question. ¡°No, it¡¯s just that. I feel deep emotions about the lives of this world. Being alive is very¡­¡­¡± I squinted at the papers. It outlined the need to relocate the people who lived in the vicinity to proceed with the construction, as well as the number and the value of the property that should be taken. ¡°¡­¡­You¡¯re in a bad mood. Aren¡¯t you?¡± Normally, he would just ignore me, who was talking nonsense, but for some reason, Sein narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth. ¡°¡­¡­what happened in the capital?¡± That¡¯s why you can¡¯t be a good guy. But who can I confide this to? I mean, I thought I was just an audience briefly participating in the play. As it turned out¡­¡­ I was Alice who had actually come to a strange world. Actually, I wonder what difference it makes. This is the world in the book, the real world. It doesn¡¯t change the fact that it¡¯s an unfamiliar place to me anyway. So far, I couldn¡¯t find a reason for my own agitation. However, if I try to pick up the thoughts that have sunk to the bottom. I acknowledged this place as my reality, and acknowledged the people around me who had nothing to do with as ¡®persons¡¯ rather than ¡®characters¡¯. But somehow, in the end, the fact that this was the world in the book I was reading for fun made me feel relaxed. [2] But if not, if this was just a different reality. Wouldn¡¯t the meaning of all the actions I¡¯ve done so far change as well? Thinking about it, it seemed as if things that were floating without my knowledge were falling to the ground with their weight in an instant. ¡°I heard that you went up to investigate the mysterious phenomenon that has happened recently.¡± When I didn¡¯t say anything for a while, Sein opened his mouth as if in response to me. ¡°Uh-huh, well¡­¡­ because of that, I was rolled [3] again.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you still tired?¡± ¡°Maybe¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sein¡¯s expression hardened even more at my listless answer. It wasn¡¯t long before he sighed. ¡°Right now, even if the lord is sitting here, it doesn¡¯t seem to mean much. We¡¯ll talk about the details of the agenda after the luncheon.¡± Strict bastard. Normally, you should be more worried. However, since the second son of the Borter family is a man who does not understand and is bad at distinguishing between public and private, he might consider me inefficient for not doing what I was told to do and only thinking about something else. I nodded and got up from my seat. Come to think of, what is Hisch doing now? AS I was about to leave the office without saying a word because I had that thought in my heart, Sein spoke. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t Mr. Hisch be in the western garden behind the mansion? Why don¡¯t you visit him and see how he is?¡± Perhaps¡­¡­ are you reading my mind? [4] I looked at Sein once with a strange expression, and then nodded. ¡°But what fun conversations are you talking about these days with Hisch? Did you get along with him while I was away?¡± Sein didn¡¯t have much interest in Hisch. In fact, even if it wasn¡¯t Hisch, Sein wouldn¡¯t care much about who my husband was. Well, in his head, he might have calculated this or that, but he didn¡¯t seem like someone who would have any emotional exchanges with my husband. Ever since returning from the capital, Sein had been talking to Hisch about something and went to meet him. Honestly, I¡¯m a little curious about what they¡¯re talking about, but I was just curious because it was awkward to ask. At my words, Sein turned his head and said this in his usual tone. ¡°It¡¯s a secret between us.¡± Wow, this is excluding the boss now. I won¡¯t ask you since you¡¯re so cheap. I just decided to go see my lovely husband. CH 31 Hisch still tended to the plants in the mansion. It seemed that his reason for choosing a career as a gardener in the past was not just to make a living. When I often saw him fiddling with the leaves of the plant with affectionate touches, I could tell that he genuinely loved this work. The atmosphere he created was so peaceful and calm that even I felt as pampered as the plant. Sure enough, even today, Hisch was touching something, wriggling his hands as if he had found a problem in the flowerbed that anyone else would have just overlooked. Without stepping foot in the garden, I just stared at his back. It was nice to just stare blankly at his large back swaying slightly but did not seem to be weak, which was in stark contrast to my slender figure. Hisch soon looked up. It was amazing that he noticed my gaze when I didn¡¯t even make my presence known, call Hisch¡¯s name or make a sound. ¡°Liddell. When did you come?¡± If you¡¯re coming, call me. Even though he said that in a grumbling tone, Hisch smiled happily. ¡°No, I was just passing by. Whoa, what is this? The leaves are really wide.¡± I moved and stood next to him, looking at what Hisch had been fiddling with until just now. The voice of a person talking about what they like also makes the listener feel good. Hisch answered my questions in a calm but slightly excited voice. As I was responding to his storytelling, [1] a sudden strong wind blew over us. The leaves of the plant bumped into each other, making a shuffling sound. We looked at each other in bewilderment as our clothes and hair fluttered in a mess, and then burst into laughter as we looked at each other in a mess. Once the wind passed, and as I was still smiling in the afterglow, Hisch, who was looking at me with a similar smile, reached out and tucked my disheveled hair behind my ear. ¡°Are you feeling better now?¡± At that, I stopped laughing and my eyes opened wide. The black-haired man fiddled with my cheek without pulling his outstretched hand. ¡°You¡¯ve been thinking about something ever since you came back from the capital.¡± ¡®What happened?¡¯ I suddenly remembered the first words that Hisch uttered when he first saw me after I returned to Ensis. I really didn¡¯t want to cause him any worries, and I just glossed over the idea that it wasn¡¯t something Hisch could give advice on. But to think he still cared about me. To think that he would look at me with a relieved expression after bursting into laughter at the small disturbance. ¡°¡­¡­yes, I feel a little better. I¡¯m sorry, Hisch. For making you worried.¡± Hisch shook his head at my words. ¡°I didn¡¯t worry about you for you to apologize. However, um. I just¡­¡­ want you to tell me a little more about your thoughts.¡± The black-haired man took a step closer and put his arms around my shoulder as if he were holding me in his arms. He lowered his head and continued in a slow voice. ¡°I know I¡¯m not reliable. Liddell is much smarter than I am so I may not be able to help. Still¡­¡­ I just want to hear what you¡¯re thinking. I wish I could know and sympathize with you.¡± For some reason, when he said those words, I felt something warm fill a corner of my heart. I also hoped he¡¯d tell me what he thought. Because I¡¯ve always wondered about Hisch too. Even when we were apart, I would naturally imagine what Hisch was doing. It was a novel feeling. I couldn¡¯t believe I was so curious about someone else. Even though it was and still is my credo that it is enough to take good care of my body. But my worries weren¡¯t the kind of things to confide in Hisch right now. The moment I thought so, Hisch continued. ¡°In fact, what other secrets could there be other than mine?¡± A playfulness kicked in on the man who laughed, as if consoling me that whatever my troubles were, it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal. If you think about it, I¡¯m a person who has as many secrets as Hisch. ¡°Really? Then, for example, what if I were from another world?¡± ¡°Another world?¡± ¡°Yes, a completely different world from here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ For example?¡± ¡°Using electricity, using machines, and having transportation that flies through the sky. There is no king, and the people elect the representatives of the country by voting¡­¡­ A world like that.¡± ¡°Machine¡­¡­ Sky.¡± Vote. Hisch whispered softly. He wouldn¡¯t even understand anyway. It sounds far-fetched. Thinking so, I continued playfully. The glass of bitter, cold liquid I had before heading to work in the morning was so good. When I was struggling and sad, my hobby was to have a drink while watching the river that crosses the city. Watching a movie with a snack of fried corn while holding my breath under the blanket was a weekend¡¯s pleasure, or listening to music alone while running under the ground to go to work was the energy that started my morning. Hisch, who couldn¡¯t understand half of what I was saying, just stared at me as I talked. Afraid that he might think his wife was out of her mind, I kept my mouth shut and told Hisch. ¡°¡­¡­¡­well, I could have come from such a world.¡± Hisch just looked at me without any response to my words. I¡¯m screwed. Somehow, his eyes looked like he was looking at someone who was a little delusional. I was aware that I was unusually excited. That is why I came here and forgot about everything as if I had no past. My memories of those decades that were etched on me felt like dreams that seemed to float around like that. In the midst of that, telling someone familiar stories that I knew for the first time in a long time was both pleasant and oddly reassuring. I still remember. I haven¡¯t forgotten¡­¡­. ¡°¡­¡­ If Liddell really came here after living in such a world.¡± Seeing Hisch open his mouth as if he was trying hard to match me, I tried to lightly dissuade him by saying that I was joking, but the man said this. ¡°You must have been lonely.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You must¡­¡­ have been really sad and lonely.¡± My eyes opened wide. The man was staring at me. When I stopped making a fuss out of embarrassment, I could see Hisch¡¯s expression better. There was no indication in his appearance that he was laughing at me or not believing me. For a moment, I was at a loss for words and took a deep breath, and then I burst into laughter like a sigh while waving my hand. ¡°Ey, I¡¯m just saying that I might have had such a great secret. And being lonely. There¡¯s Hisch and Sein, so why would I¡­¡­.¡± It was an imaginary story I told just to make fun of him. I could have simply passed it over by asking what he was taking it so seriously for, and I probably should have done that. Why was I repeatedly spewing out words? Because Hisch¡¯s expression seemed to believe me even when I was talking about this nonsense? I didn¡¯t know why. ¡°¡­¡­ And well, it¡¯s actually the same everywhere people live. Of course, here in this world, there were times when I had to write down documents by hand, and there was no spicy food. If someone breaks the rules, people will be killed too¡­¡­¡± But it was a very strange thing. I¡¯ve never had the desire to return to my original world. Maybe it was because my life on Earth was so ordinary, and I couldn¡¯t find any meaning in it. Or maybe it was just that I had become so busy adapting to the sudden environment that I became dull. Still, it was really strange. As I talked about the place where I was born and raised, I unknowingly missed the place that was familiar to me. ¡°¡­¡­ There are many etiquette rules to follow, and all the common sense and knowledge I had seemed useless. So, it¡¯s just, well. A little bit¡­¡­¡± Just a little bit. At that moment, Hisch lowered his knees a little and touched the corners of my eyes. He sighed. ¡°¡­¡­ How is it that you always stop crying so much that your eyes are always red? I wish you could just¡­¡­ cry coolly without holding back your tears.¡± Hisch said that, kissing my eyes and then pulled back. I reflexively closed my eyes at the warm touch and opened them, and the black-haired man looked down at me with a gentle but affectionate look. ¡°And.¡± Hisch approached me saying that, but I didn¡¯t shy away from him. ¡°You¡¯re easy to comfort.¡± A soft, warm touch spread across my lips. The comforting warmth made me close my eyes without resistance. He was so innocent and pure, and always blushed and cried at my words. I thought Hisch was cute, and I liked it, but I also liked the side of the man who sometimes seemed to embrace everything about me, and my curiosity was sparked. I want to know more. I want to know more about Hisch. ¡­¡­and it was probably the same for Hisch, too. CH 32 When I returned from the capital, the pillow wall in our marital bedroom had been removed. As I trembled and liked the sight, Hisch smiled shyly, even though he was embarrassed. We lay side by side on the bed even though the sun had not yet set. Hisch¡¯s arm was muscular and firm, but it wasn¡¯t that hard, so it was perfect for a pillow. Being in his arms, curled up within reach of each other¡¯s breath, felt as if this was my home. Hisch hadn¡¯t done much more than that. To some, it would still be a marital relationship from the outside, but Hisch was reluctant to have close contact with me in the first place. After I learned his secret, I was able to figure out the reason without asking why, and so I decided to put my heart at ease. I talked a lot with the thought that this man holding me in his arms would protect me from all my anxieties and worries. As if it were someone else¡¯s story. I told him the story about what happened in the capital, about this world. And that destruction may soon come to this place. I still had some of my defense mechanisms at work and couldn¡¯t say clearly that it was my own business, but Hisch just listened quietly to me. Despite his reaction, I felt indescribably relieved that he was not listening to me in vain or thinking strangely about me. For the first time since I came here, I felt like I had someone on my side. When I told him about my biggest concern, which I had never been able to confide in my acquaintances or even to Sein, about what was to come to this world, I felt relieved and let out a long breath. In fact, Hisch might not believe it. Perhaps I would never talk to Hisch about it again after this. But at this moment. Just the fact that the man did not think my story was nonsense helped me a lot. ¡°Are you sleepy?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡­.¡± As I slowly blinked my eyes and answered slowly, a low laugh fell over my head. ¡°Then get some sleep. I¡¯ll wake you up before dinner.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ it¡¯s still broad daylight?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve worked so hard, so take a nap just for today. That¡¯s how you relax.¡± Yes, I said affirmatively to Hisch¡¯s words and closed my eyes. I felt like I could fall into a wonderful deep sleep. I exhaled deeply like a beast that had finally found a safe place. Hisch¡¯s steady breathing could be heard before I completely lost my consciousness. He sometimes wrapped his arms around me and patted me on the back with his other arm that was not used as an arm pillow. Then it seemed like he suddenly said this. ¡°Then, if what you say is true¡­¡­. If such a great event looms upon us.¡± Hisch muttered. ¡°What should I do?¡± He went on. ¡°How can I protect you?¡± Even in my sleep, I couldn¡¯t tell if those words were really uttered by Hisch, or if it was a hallucination I had created because my dream and reality had not yet been fully separated. After all, Hisch¡¯s voice was calm as he uttered such solemn words. It was no different from that of the man who usually spoke to me affectionately. And after that, maybe even Hisch asleep, as we lay sprawled out on the bed until Sein came to wake us up, and it was a bonus to hear a lot of nagging from the vassal. The gorgeous blonde man was lost in other thoughts as he listened to the adjutant¡¯s report. In particular, what filled his mind these days was the doing of his ex-fiancee who broke their engagement. To be honest, Miller wasn¡¯t very happy about his engagement to her at first. It was because a sense of inferiority was at work. Among the successors of the five families representing Kleinin, he was the only one who could not use any ability. Being engaged to Liddell was also unpleasant, as if he felt the family¡¯s intention to fill in what he lacked through this marriage. It wasn¡¯t because he didn¡¯t like Liddell Catlan. In the first place, Miller didn¡¯t know Liddell very well. Because they were indifferent to each other. It was just supposed to be a typical noble marriage one usually hears. He thought so¡­¡­. But the woman, who had only a graceful smile like a dry flower petal, suddenly began to express her feelings honestly, and changed to become much more lively than before. It was when he noticed that change for some reason. His scandal broke out, and the woman broke off the engagement as if she had waited and married another man. It was so fast that he suspected that she was already meeting her current husband while they were engaged. At first, Miller was dumbfounded. What did he lack? What was wrong with him? Even the man who she married, putting him aside, came from a humble family. He didn¡¯t even have a title, so he had to enter as Catlan¡¯s son-in-law. Miller¡¯s pride was hurt. He was also a little chagrined. But when asked why, the woman gave a rather bland answer. Because he doesn¡¯t suit her. She didn¡¯t think he would be a good fit. At first, for that reason, oddly enough, he felt a little better. The aloof and noble Liddell Catlan. True to her status, the woman did not simply marry a man driven by the impulse of love. That¡¯s what he thought. Miller would often recall the scene. The man stood in front of a monster the size of a house, and Liddell ran towards him without hesitation. She even shook off the touch of her loyal knight, and at a speed that even he who trained the sword could not keep up with. At that moment, Miller couldn¡¯t help but think: What on earth was that? What on earth was that if not love, Liddell? ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ and here¡¯s the next report. Recent signs on the North Continent have been alarming, causing disruptions in the procurement of supplies.¡± ¡°Looks like they eventually divided.¡± Recently, the situation on the continent has not been good. The mysterious phenomenon that was currently happening all over the kingdom was not just a problem for Kleinin, but other countries were also suffering. In particular, the Carshion Empire, which was in close proximity to Kleinin, was said to have had succession disputes that recurred. Rumors were circulating that the reason for the mysterious phenomenon was that the current crown prince was not the right successor. Frankly, in the eyes of a third party, it was an example of excessive conceit. The problems on the entire continent cannot be attributed only to the crown prince of Carshion. ¡°The fact that the damage from the mysterious phenomenon is becoming more persistent and vicious seems to play a part. It¡¯s also getting more and more frequent¡­¡­. What was initially a simple monster has now changed to a high-level monster that was thought to be extinct.¡± Miller rested his chin on his hand in his office chair and pondered. As the unexplained mysterious phenomenon continued, Kleinin was also struggling to come up with countermeasures centered on the royal family. At the same time, it became difficult for talented people who were loyal to the royal family to be excluded from this work. Liddell, so were you, Maybe your husband can¡¯t avoid it either. ¡°¡­¡­Find out a little more.¡± Miller said in a cold voice. ¡°In times of crisis, information is always an opportunity.¡± The man who has lived in Windsor all his life was indifferent when he heard that after the mine changed ownership, a representative was coming to solve the problem. Originally owned by the royal family, the mine had its own value because the amount of minerals being dugged was enormous, and thanks to this, the villagers lived a rich life in which they did not starve, even if they were not wealthy. Their lives began to fall apart after the king fell ill and the so-called ¡®royal authority¡¯ weakened. In addition, strange monsters began to rampage, and even the surrounding territory that protected them in order to satisfy the royal family began to ignore them. No, they¡¯d rather just turn away. They also demanded exorbitant prices for the minerals they were receiving under the pretext of protecting the mine. Now, the protection of the royal family has long since disappeared. In fact, they did not seem to have the time to pay attention to these places lately. Then came the news that ownership of the mine had been transferred to someone else. Some villagers expected the new owner to remedy the situation, but most were negative. ¡®Is the owner an influential person that has the power to stand up for them? These days, because of the monsters, it was difficult to mine. They must have just passed the trouble on to someone else.¡¯ So even if the representative was visiting, they did not expect anything. The same was true for the man. Even as he watched a carriage from afar run across the mountain range without a break, he only had an uninterested expression on his face. After a while, the carriage stopped, and one person stepped down from it. It was a sharp-looking man with gray hair. In the eyes of a man who grew up here where physical strength was an asset, he had a fragile physique, which added a little bit of disappointment. ¡°¡­¡­ Welcome to Windsor. It must have been a struggle for you to get here. Well¡­¡­ if you could tell me your name¡­¡­¡± A man who had lived his entire life in a mining village and had never met a nobleman before tried to be polite in his own way, but the other party didn¡¯t seem interested in such things at all. ¡°My name is Sein Borter, who came as the representative of the Lord of Ensis. I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t leave the territory for long, so I want to solve the problem as soon as possible.¡± CH 33 The man who introduced himself as Sein in a blunt tone looked around and said, ¡°The quality of the village is terrible. Is no one defending against the invasion of monsters?¡± Hearing that carefree voice, something hot rose up in the man, but he fought it off. Even if he had never actually seen nobles, he was well aware of their cruelty and power. ¡°It¡¯s gotten worse lately. However, thanks to the nobles around¡­¡­¡± Hearing that, Sein snorted. ¡°Is this the scene of a protected village? I¡¯ll say it again, but I¡¯m in a hurry. I want you to tell me the truth, without adding unnecessary words.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Actually, thanks to the monsters, we couldn¡¯t even do our job properly.¡± ¡°I see. If so, the standard of living must be absurdly low.¡± That was certainly true, but he didn¡¯t feel good listening to it. In reality, it was becoming more and more difficult to procure food. The man¡¯s jaw bulged, but the other person that had come out with him to greet the Lord¡¯s representative grabbed him by the forearm, as if to dissuade him. ¡°We can¡¯t mine properly, and we can¡¯t afford to protect the village. Besides mining, there is no other means of living.¡± As if to summarize the point, Sein muttered like that, looked around, and suddenly added. ¡°It might be surprisingly easy to solve.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Was he perhaps just trying to return it to the royal family again? Despite his question, the man in front of him looked around with meticulous eyes, and soon passed him without answering. ¡®What does the representative look like?¡¯ What did Luke himself answer to that? ¡®He just¡­¡­ looks keen and weak.¡¯ Being keen was the impression that came from the sharp man¡¯s tone, and looking weak came from the slender muscles of a man who had literally only worked out to get in shape. It wasn¡¯t long ago when all the villagers expressed disappointment at Luke¡¯s sentiments. What on earth was unfolding in front of his eyes now? ¡°So¡­¡­ What did you just say?¡± Windsor, as explained, was a mine with considerable reserves. The surrounding territory used the processing of minerals as a specialty. Thanks to this, the royal family was also able to receive income without a large shipping fee, which could be said to be a win-win relationship. But now that the situation has changed and Windsor was no longer entitled to receive royal protection. The surrounding territories were intent on securing a deal, more like plundering, albeit under the guise of protecting them from monsters. But what? ¡°I have told you that we will not sell minerals mined in Windsor on your territories in the future.¡± The person called the representative sat down after saying such things nonchalantly. It may or may not be necessary to have a mine like that but if viewed from the perspective of the ¡®owner,¡¯ who is noble and prestigious, they may not necessarily want to sell the goods at a low price. But for the people of Windsor, their livelihoods were at stake. How on earth could they make a living if they didn¡¯t sell it at such a price? Luke¡¯s fist clenched. And likewise, the representatives of the surrounding territories who had gathered at the call of Sein from early morning were also looking at him in bewilderment. ¡°Hoh¡­¡­ This is such a sudden notice¡­¡­¡± ¡°What, so you¡¯re saying you¡¯re going to close the mine altogether?¡± Someone raised their voice. All the owner knew that the only place to sell was the surrounding territories anyway, so he circumvented the question if he was taking that into account. At that, Luke¡¯s heart as he stood politely behind the representative was also mixed. Could it be that the Lord intended to make us move? Do they really want us to abandon the place where we have lived? ¡°No. All minerals from Windsor for the next year henceforth will be purchased by our territory.¡± It wasn¡¯t just Luke who opened his eyes wide at Sein¡¯s words. ¡°One year¡¯s worth of ¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Do you know how much that is?¡± ¡°In monetary terms¡­¡­.¡± ¡°In the first place, the owner¡¯s territory ¡®will buy¡¯ products from her own mine¡­¡­¡± There were murmurs, but the gray-haired man¡¯s indifferent expression didn¡¯t seem to soften. ¡°It¡¯s been fully reviewed and approved by my master. I want to make it clear that today¡¯s meeting is to give one-sided notice, not to gather opinions.¡± ¡°No, what are we supposed to say to our Lord if you only notify us as you please?¡± ¡°You have to pass it on as it is, so what? Well, I advise you to find another business partner.¡± At Sein¡¯s sharp answer, one of the men jumped up in rage. ¡°I don¡¯t understand! Trading is a matter of trust. We have been buying minerals from Windsor for hundreds of years. But you¡¯re going to stop trading like this overnight? Then, what do you plan to do after that one year you mentioned?¡± At his words, the others also raised their voices in unison, as if they had regained their reason one by one. ¡°A year is enough time for us to find another client.¡± ¡°See if we buy the minerals of Windsor after that.¡± At their words, Sein gave a smile that was not a smile. ¡°Trust? Isn¡¯t it presumptuous to say that we betrayed your trust when all your territories did it first?¡± ¡°What¡­¡­¡± ¡°When the power of the royal family was strong, they tried to buy the minerals they wanted at a reasonable price, but when a crisis came, they used it as an opportunity to buy them at a bargain price, abandoning their loyalty.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If the owner has changed and is trying to sign a one-sided contract using that as an excuse, if it¡¯s not a breach of trust over the past hundreds of years, what is it?¡± As soon as they arrived here, some of the people who had hastily put on airs, saying, ¡®It would be better to deliver minerals at a low price in exchange for protecting Windsor,¡¯ flinched. Listening to the cold but arrogant tone emanating from the man, Luke unknowingly placed his thick hand on the edge of his chest. Somehow, a hot lump similar to reassurance spread from the depths of his heart. It was just yesterday that the man seemed so unreliable. Now his strong backside, as if nothing could bend it, looked like the vast mountain range of Windsor. Luke now understood that that man¡¯s steadfastness was not his own, but rather his master¡¯s, who was backing him up. He knew it was because the Lord of Ensis, who became the new owner of Windsor, was there. ¡°On the contrary, it is my master who has made up her mind about your attitude. The Lord is trying to find someone who will not betray her even in a situation like this.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Everyone seems to be worried about the situation in Windsor, so let me tell you, our territory is about to undergo major construction, so for a while it will be enough to cover the demand of Ensis, and after that¡­¡­ Catlan¡¯s vassals near Windsor could be their customers.¡± Of course, it might take a bit of trouble to transport, but there was no other customer as reliable as a business partner connected by blood. The men who had raised their voices held their breath when they realized that it was not just to intimidate them, but that they really had a detailed plan to change their contract partner. In fact, they talked about finding another mine, but they were well aware that it would not be easy. In the first place, there were few mines as large as Windsor. As a result, the minerals had to be imported from a fairly long distance, which would obviously cost several times the freight costs. Sein looked around them with cold eyes and said. ¡°Then I hope everyone understands, and please convey it to your masters.¡± As if there was no further conversation, the man stood up. Of course, no one could grab Sein or open his mouth again. Only worries about the future occupied their minds. Luke followed him in a hurry as he strode forward. As he stepped out of the silent interior and into the slightly cold outside, a sense of reality flooded in. ¡°Well¡­¡­ That. Mr. Sein¡­¡­.¡± Luke called out to the man in a naive voice. After staring at the winding mountain range for a while, Sein turned his head with an odd expression. ¡°Thank you so much. That¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It would be right to say thank you to the master of this place and your master, not to me.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. O, of course¡­¡­¡± ¡°I initially planned to relocate all of you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Yes?¡± An absurd sound came out of the mouth of the man who had seemed like an unconditional ally until just now. Luke foolishly asked back, and Sein continued, as if it was not a big deal. ¡°A few gems coming out of this place are worth it, but it is not something we need right away, and the economic situation in the territory is not serious.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I would rather take my time and send someone to mine or sell ownership to someone else after the situation has calmed down than normalize this place right now. That was what I was planning to tell the Lord.¡± No¡­¡­ Although he was talking about it with luxurious words, wasn¡¯t it no different from saying that he was thinking of abandoning Windsor? CH 34 At Luke¡¯s dismayed expression, Sein clicked his tongue. ¡°You should really be grateful to the Lord.¡± ¡°No¡­¡­. Then w, why on earth did the Lord¡­¡­.¡± ¡°My master.¡± After the man said those words, he made a rather strange expression. In a way, he seemed a little worried. Perhaps he was worried about her still being a little young. However, the emotion underlying it was undoubtedly ¡®pride¡¯. On her. ¡°She would never abandon her own people.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Honestly, does it make sense to pay for the minerals from the mine that you own?¡± It didn¡¯t make sense. Normally, the villagers would take about a fourth of the price of the minerals, and the remaining six would be taken by the royal family. But now the Lord will pay the price of the fourth herself. ¡°The Lord said this was an investment in the future.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You should do your best so that the Lord¡¯s insight doesn¡¯t turn out wrong.¡± Then the man began his one-man speech on the magnificence of the Lord. His voice was brusque and his expression was coy, but his respect for the Lord seemed to be deeply rooted. It wasn¡¯t until he heard that a mercenary group would be dispatched to stop the monsters from invading that Luke began to be influenced by the words. By the time the sun went down, in Luke¡¯s mind, the Lord of Ensis had already been transformed into an angel with wings, an incarnation of a benevolent goddess. In the afternoon, when the sun was shining. Hundreds of people were standing in groups in front of the Lord¡¯s castle of Ensis. ¡°Is it really true that you get paid that much per day?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what they said, but isn¡¯t that just the same as conscription?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t even seen the Lord. I heard that the Lord is a woman!¡± ¡°Really? Is she single?¡± ¡°What kind of dream is this guy having? She¡¯s already married!¡± ¡°Why isn¡¯t her husband the Lord?¡± ¡°I heard that her husband is a commoner like us!¡± ¡°Her husband must be quite handsome.¡± Facing the distracted men, Albert coughed and couldn¡¯t help but say in a thundering voice. ¡°If you all don¡¯t watch your mouth, just know that I¡¯ll kick everyone out before the evaluation!¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir.¡± The men kept their mouths shut, knowing that there was no benefit in making more nonsense in front of the old man who looked uptight. Albert sighed heavily. Albert was now carrying out the first official work ordered by the Lord. As such, he wanted to accomplish this task brilliantly. Considering the grace he had received from the Lord, he should have done so. The debt that Ensis had was a considerable amount, and in fact, it was an amount that the territory, which had no specialty, was unable to pay off. In the past, a year of severe famine occurred. Albert thought he would be able to pay off the debt in a year or two, so he went into debt to put out the urgent fire first. The bad harvest continued for a long time, and eventually the amount of debt had grown to the point that he could barely pay off the interest, let alone the principal. That¡¯s what happened, but it was by no means done to satisfy Albert¡¯s own selfish desires. However, as if she already understood his circumstances and feelings, the Lord entrusted him with the settlement of the debt without question. The moment he accepted the money from her aide, Sein, and heard the story, tears welled up in Albert¡¯s eyes, even though it was a little bit ridiculous for his age. It felt as if he had received far more forgiveness and trust than any other word. In comparison, how did he treat the Lord? Albert asked himself. After a long period of self-reflection, a sense of shame and apologetic feelings that anyone with a conscience would feel was directed at the Lord. Therefore, when the Lord suddenly ordered him to expand the territory, Albert was determined to carry out the task brilliantly without hesitation. ¡°Now, get in line!¡± ¡°If each person has a weapon that they specialize in, write it down and submit it here.¡± Soon the murmur subsided and things proceeded in an orderly manner. It was the first time since the former Lord of Ensis had disappeared that they recruited for the territory, so the applicants felt that the master had finally returned to their territory. The afternoon, which seemed to pass without much noise, was soon interrupted by a commotion that started behind the crowd in line. Wondering what was happening, Albert stopped checking the papers and raised his head and immediately recognized the familiar face of an acquaintance. ¡°Hey, Albert. You must be busy right now?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Sir Elroy. What are you doing here¡­¡­.¡± A knight, with one of the most malicious creditors of Ensis as his master, opened his mouth with a grin. ¡°But what should I do with this? I think you should take me to the Lord of Ensis right now.¡± ¡°There are many different classes of soldiers, but to pick ones that can be trained in our territory as soon as possible, there will be spearmen and shieldmen, and archers, although they wouldn¡¯t be at my level even if I were to teach them right away.¡± As Sir Ted¡¯s serious voice echoed through the office, I pinched my thigh trying to lift my heavy eyelids. Sir Bethel was at a loss as he watched me half-asleep next to him, but Sir Ted, who was actually lecturing, spat out endless words as if I were his best student who absorbed all knowledge like a sponge. Professor, I asked you for a lesson, but how many hours have you been lecturing¡­¡­. With the way things are, your student will die of sleepiness¡­¡­ But even after that, Sir Ted gave a long speech about the pros and cons of each class. Infantry is the most basic class of warfare, and the positions in which they are deployed vary depending on the weapon they carry, and archers, in particular, need more intense training than they think to raise the probability of hitting arrows rather than just shooting them¡­¡­ As I began headbanging to the point where my forehead almost touched the desk, Sir Bethel hurriedly put his hand over my forehead and said. ¡°Lord, do you really need to know these practical matters? In fact, it is common to entrust military affairs to the most trusted knight unless you are a monarch who holds the sword yourself. ¡± ¡°¡­¡­ No, but I have the right to command anyway. There¡¯s no harm in knowing.¡± Sir Ted nodded and opened his mouth to my answer, as if moved by the sincere attitude of his ruler. ¡°You have a great attitude. In addition, I¡¯ve heard that the invasion of monsters of unknown origin continues throughout the kingdom these days. Not long ago, our castle was attacked.¡± ¡°Uh-huh¡­¡­ Well, yes.¡± ¡°But Lord, the territorial army of Ensis is no different from a fledgling army that is just getting organized. Rather than being greedy, I think it is better to raise the infantry, which is the basis of all battles, and establish more troops in the direction of the battle that the Lord wants and see how it turns out.¡± Actually, Albert said he had arranged a lot of things, but the territory army of Ensis was still disorganized. The notion of consolidating the basics and thinking about the next one was more pertinent to the current situation. I nodded, and Sir Ted immediately lowered his head and said. ¡°Then from now on, I will introduce some of the famous battles to give you a brief example of how each battle is done using each class.¡± ¡°No, wait. Sir Ted¡­¡­.¡± ¡°First of all, it is said to be the greatest battle in nearly 100 years of our kingdom¡­¡­¡± Stop the cram course! Just in time, a constant knock rang through the office, as if to save me. Three people, including me, turned our gaze towards the door at the same time. ¡°Lord, this is Albert.¡± The butler of the castle, who became very cautious of me, spoke in a polite voice. ¡°Sir Elroy, the knight of the Peloche territory, is asking for an audience with the Lord.¡± When I racked my brain and thought that the name of the territory was strangely familiar, I remembered that it was the name of a baron, one of the debtors to whom Ensis owed. Usually, in this case, there would be no way they would come to me saying, ¡®Thank you for paying off the debt!¡¯¡­¡­ I have a bad feeling about this. ¡°Okay, take him to the drawing room. I¡¯ll be heading there soon.¡± At my words, the presence outside the door disappeared, and I got up from my seat. As I was smiling inside because I could naturally escape from the inhumane lesson that he was pushing without a break, Sir Ted spoke up. ¡°¡­¡­ I don¡¯t think he came here for a good reason.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just listen to it. Well, then, Sir Ted. It¡¯s a shame to end this here today, but¡­¡­.¡± ¡°My Lord.¡± Suddenly, he called me in a serious tone. Surely it wouldn¡¯t be such an outrageous talk about continuing the explanation and making me listen after meeting the guest. As I looked at him in fright, the man hesitated a little and said. ¡°May I join you there?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ to the meeting with the Knight of Peloche?¡± Sir Ted nodded. It was actually the job of my aide, Sein, and usually, he would be there by my side to greet the guests together. Was it because the person who came to visit was a knight like him, or was it because he thought he had to fill the void now that Sein was away? It was not like he said something he shouldn¡¯t say, but the man hesitantly talked and he was a little na?ve and cute, so I smiled and nodded. CH 35 ¡°I am reassured.¡± At my words, in an instant, Sir Ted politely extended his hand to me with a disciplined expression on his face. ¡°Then I¡¯ll take you there.¡± His appearance was similar to that of a knight escorting a lady at a party, so I said this out of mischief. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re heading to some party, Sir.¡± At my words, Sir Ted instantly blushed and looked at me. Are you shy or embarrassed? His reaction was so cute that I laughed out loud and put my fingertips on his palm. ¡°No, thank you for your concern. Well then, let¡¯s go, Mr. Knight.¡± When I entered the drawing room, the guest was seated before me. The man was sitting with his back to the door, looking out the wide window beyond the desk. Buried deep in the sofa and sitting with his arms up on the backrest, he seemed to either be uncultured or looking down on the situation itself. Beside him, Albert was pacing around looking somewhat restless. Normally, he would have had a maid greet the guest and not do it personally. I thought so and sat on the sofa across from the man. I could feel Sir Ted positioned behind me. ¡°I greet the Lord of Ensis.¡± The man got up from his seat and showed his manners half-heartedly. He didn¡¯t look disciplined, but he was not rude enough to scold him, so I gestured with my chin for him to sit down. ¡°Well, I heard you¡¯re a knight from Peloche.¡± ¡°I would like to formally greet you. My name is Claude Elroy, a knight of Baron Peloche.¡± The man continued. ¡°The reason I came to Ensis today is no different. I came to see you to deliver the message of Baron Peloche about the debt that the Lord had settled through her representative the day before.¡± Well, I know you¡¯re here to talk about that. Judging from Albert¡¯s reaction from the side, it seemed that it was a development that he had expected. It was also easy to infer that it wasn¡¯t a good thing to talk about. When I looked at the knight, as if I had something to say, the man was a little taken aback and opened his mouth again. ¡°Are you aware that the amount you paid back to our territory a while ago was far less than the interest?¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­¡­!¡± Albert, who had been listening intently to our conversation without even thinking about brewing tea next to him, exclaimed in surprise. Mhm, the reaction from the audience is good. The man who spoke meaningfully as if I would be surprised to hear that was funny, and I shrugged my shoulders. ¡°I saw the contract myself and had Albert pay the corresponding amount, but now I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± At my words, the corners of his mouth twitched as if he had caught the pod. [1] Oh, look at this guy. Are you laughing at me now? ¡°Our Baron is concerned about this, so he sent me here.¡± ¡°That is a concern.¡± ¡°I heard that the Lord had just come to Ensis. In the meantime, a man here¡­¡­ named Albert has been in charge of the whole territory.¡± At the man¡¯s words, Albert stiffened. ¡°Pardon me, but how much trust does the Lord have in him?¡± ¡°Sir Elroy¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Right now, I think none. Where can you find a host raising his voice while he is receiving a guest?¡± Albert closed his mouth at his words. Well¡­¡­ the man is right in terms of manners. I silently decided to listen to what the knight in front of me had to say. The man must have thought that I was completely discouraged, and he spoke confidently. ¡°Could I perhaps look at the debt agreement with our territory kept by Ensis?¡± He was very excited. I looked at Albert, and he hurriedly brought us the contract we had kept. With a solemn gesture, Sir Elroy took a rolled paper from his bosom, compared them very seriously, which were of the same size and similar in writing, and nodded. ¡°As expected, the content is different. I¡¯m sorry, but it seems that someone on Ensis¡¯ side¡­¡­. if it¡¯s not Albert, forged the contract.¡± ¡°What do you mean by forgery¡­¡­! My Lord, I would never¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Yes, Albert. I know.¡± As I cut off his words nonchalantly and set my eyes again on the polite knight, Albert looked devastated. The reaction alone made it seem as if I had seriously betrayed him. No, Grandpa. You¡¯re really quick-tempered. Let¡¯s hear his story first. ¡°Of course, this was before you were given the territory, so it has nothing to do with the Lord, but¡­¡­ if you look here, the interest rate and the amount of principal are completely different.¡± ¡°Hm, but isn¡¯t it impossible to know which one is real?¡± ¡°What do you mean by that? Are you saying that our contract is wrong?¡± The man widened his eyes and muttered as if he was rather offended by my words. ¡°The parties to this contract were my master and Albert, who was managing Ensis at the time. Don¡¯t tell me that you¡¯re saying that my master, who is a man of high descent¡­¡­ forged the contract?¡± Although this was a world that had become more convenient due to the development of magic, civilization was still far behind the world I was in. For example, in modern times, things would have been easier if it had been notarized by a lawyer, but there is no such system in this world. In this case, the only thing the other person could put forward was the argument that the nobility would be more honorable than the commoners, and it was lamentable that such words would really work in court. ¡°I fully understand what you are talking about.¡± At my words, Albert and the man in front of me acted like those who were divided in victory or defeat. I feel like I¡¯m some kind of judge because one side is triumphant, and the other has a devastated look. However, this was not a matter of winning and losing, but a battle of words over who could logically subdue the opponent. ¡°I think we¡¯ll have to check on that as well, so why don¡¯t you go back for today?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± The man asked. He responded to my words which were very natural. I spoke to him once again, as if explaining to a child who couldn¡¯t understand my words. ¡°I know Peloche¡¯s claim, and I think we need to figure out the situation a little bit before we can give him an answer.¡± ¡°No, but Lord. Apparently the contract was forged and¡­¡­¡± ¡°That is why I am going to figure out if it is really a forgery and give you an answer, don¡¯t you understand? Or has your master commanded you to receive some answer to this matter today? Then I¡¯ll write a letter to the Baron.¡± The man, who looked dumbfounded for a moment at my words, soon continued. ¡°¡­¡­ Have you seen the principal and interest rate on our side? We have lent a huge amount of money to Ensis. That means we can¡¯t just wait.¡± Then when I saw these two contracts and heard his story, I was horrified, and I quickly punished Albert who was groveling for forgiveness¡­¡­ What, did you think that this would happen at lightning speed? I looked at him with an annoyed expression. There is a process and an order in which things have to be done. He even seemed to be deluded, but the man in front of me wasn¡¯t the one I was supposed to be in a war of words. ¡°I am not saying that I won¡¯t pay the money back. Shall I write you a letter in a few days? It has been a few years since I have been in debt anyway, so what¡¯s the big deal with adding a few days?¡± When the person who should have considered that a big deal said so, the man also kept his mouth shut as if he had nothing to say. ¡°Then are you admitting it? That you have a debt that has not yet been settled.¡± Right, the goal was probably to get verbal confirmation. I looked up and down at the man. A very decent light armor. The word knight has not been overshadowed by his attire. Since the Lord had sent him as an envoy, he must be trusted by him as well. ¡°Sir, I think you¡¯re mistaken about something.¡± But no matter how the man in front of me views this situation, no matter how much he belittles the territory he has visited for years as a representative of creditors. If you look at it from the middle, the situation itself was ridiculous. ¡°Even if I had to give that answer, it is a matter to discuss with the master of Sir, not a matter for Sir to hear.¡± Why do I have to tell you this obvious fact? At my words, the man kept his mouth shut. I suddenly pictured the situation in the drawing room in my head. The butler of my castle with a surprised expression, and the man in front of me with his eyes wide open as well. And even my knight, who had been erasing his presence as if he didn¡¯t exist since he entered this room, at this moment, with his back to the window and the backlight, his red eyes were shining behind me. ¡°I will fully convey to the baron your hard work to come this far.¡± I finished speaking with a smile. ¡°So I want you to go back now.¡± It was an obvious act of driving the guest away. CH 36 Peloche¡¯s knight gave me a debt contract that he claimed to be genuine, saying that he had no choice but for me to refer to it. As expected, he also left a presumptuous remark that if I didn¡¯t respond soon, his territory would be in trouble. If I were an ordinary office worker receiving a salary, it wouldn¡¯t matter whether other companies owed my company or not because it was not my money. Masters and vassals, loyal subjects and knights, as always, seemed to over-immerse themselves in the situation. As I made my way up to the office, Sir Ted silently followed behind me, followed by a drooping Albert. Did he have something to talk about in the office? To be honest, I didn¡¯t take this situation as seriously as Albert. Because, even at worst¡­¡­ the overall debt is below the amount I can pay in a lump-sum with my ready cash. I didn¡¯t bother to inform Albert of the size of my private wealth or the magic crystal trade. I had no reason to tell him, for I had not yet fully trusted him. Therefore Albert, who may have vaguely noticed that Ensis¡¯ financial situation had improved, but not knowing exactly what level, looked quite depressed. Before I reached the office and raised my hand to open the door, my conscientious knight opened the door, and I awkwardly withdrew my hand and stepped inside. And before the door could close, Albert fell to his knees with a thud. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my Lord¡­¡­!¡± Eh¡­¡­. No, what is this? Why is the atmosphere suddenly a historical drama? Whether or not he knew that I was inwardly startled by his raucous behavior, Albert pressed his forehead to the ground with thick tears in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. I should have acted a little more thoroughly¡­¡­¡± ¡°Um¡­¡­ Albert¡­¡­.¡± ¡°We urgently needed a budget for the relief of the people of the territory. There was a reserve fund set aside every year, but it was not enough. But I know none of this will be an excuse.¡± ¡°Erm¡­¡­.¡± ¡°To be able to cause such concern to Ensis, who has just found stability, and to its master. This Albert, even if I really apologize with my death¡­¡­¡± ¡°Hey.¡± When I spoke coldly to him, who now even mentioned his life, Albert flinched and looked up at me. His beard, wet with tears, glistening, looked quite funny. But then again. ¡°Even if you know that this is wrong and apologize to me while crying, what does that solve?¡± At my words, Albert¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°If you feel responsible for what you did, think about how you can resolve this situation and report it to me. That¡¯s your job, not crying and apologizing to me like this to make you feel at ease.¡± ¡°M, my Lord¡­¡­.¡± I gestured to Sir Ted with my chin, and he lifted up the middle-aged man who seemed to have aged five years in the meantime. ¡°And don¡¯t cry over this. You shouldn¡¯t waste your emotions on things that can be solved. If anything, the value of your tears would drop, and people would view you as insignificant.¡± Albert, who was in tears, opened his mouth carefully as if he was stirred by my words and his reason returned. ¡°Young Lord, I¡¯m sorry to tell you, but¡­¡­ The amount Peloche is asking for is much more than the annual net income of our territory. It won¡¯t be easy to find a way to repay¡­¡­¡± I also know. And even if I could repay the amount, I really had no intention of giving away all the money. ¡°¡­¡­ Come to think of it, when I was appointed, there were letters from neighboring territories as well as from Baron Peloche.¡± It was also a problem that once troubled Hisch. The princess who suddenly came to the countryside and the lords who had an explosive curiosity on her husband. Can¡¯t I use one of them? Shall I ask Hisch¡­¡­ In a curt tone, I addressed the butler, who was still sniffing unsightly. ¡°Speaking of which, where is Hisch today? He doesn¡¯t seem to be in the mansion.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­. That, today he was on his way to hear the petition of a nearby village. I think he will be back soon.¡± The butler, who had just been in tears as if his world had fallen apart, still reported my question in a steady voice. I patted Albert on the shoulder as he stood up. ¡°Yes, you worked hard today. Take a rest.¡± I turned to Sir Ted and said. ¡°Take a break or do something else. I¡¯m going to take a walk to wait for Hisch for a while.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll accompany you.¡± ¡°I have something I want to think about alone. I won¡¯t leave the mansion, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯ll obey your command.¡± Receiving permission from the uptight knight, I strode out of the office, leaving the still agitated butler alone. As I descended the spiral staircase leading to the lobby in front of the front door, I saw that Hisch had just returned from his outing. I would have been happy if it was just him, but when I saw the person standing next to him, I raised my eyebrows. ¡°Sein?¡± Hearing the voice calling the aide before himself, Hisch looked up at me instead of handing his coat to the servant. On the other hand, the gray-haired man whose name was called bowed to me with a calm expression. ¡°Are you back from Windsor? Why are you together with Hisch?¡± Moreover, judging by the atmosphere, he appeared to have served as Hisch¡¯s entourage. That was truly unusual. It was indeed unlike Sein, who was usually by my side and not taking care of Hisch, to leave the mansion and interfere with outside affairs. In response to my dubious question, Sein simply continued with a calm expression. ¡°On my way back from official duties, I passed the area where Mr. Hisch was, so I brought him back.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Really? But why?¡± ¡°What do you mean? Mr. Hisch is the Lord¡¯s husband, and of course, he is someone I need to assist.¡± No, since when the hell did you make up your mind like that? In Sein¡¯s calculations, Hisch must have established himself as one of the important members of our territory. Wasn¡¯t he the one who looked at Hisch like a cow to a chicken in the first place? He had no direct contact with him, and his main job was to be by my side to assist me. But on the other hand, it wouldn¡¯t be seen as strange to go outside with the person who became his master¡¯s husband. What kind of wind was blowing? Thinking about that much, I turned my head to the black-haired man who had been quiet since earlier. ¡°Hisch, did you settle your work well?¡± At my words, the man looked at me with a blank expression. It felt like he was lost in something¡­¡­ ¡°Hisch?¡± When I called his name as if I were urging him, the man who had been staring at me for a moment was soon surprised, narrowing his eyes as usual and laughing. ¡°Ah, Liddell. I¡¯m sorry, I suddenly thought of something else.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ were they too unreasonable?¡± ¡°No, they¡¯re not.¡± ¡°I heard from Albert that you went to hear the petition of the residents¡­¡­ Did they make any unreasonable petitions?¡± At my words, Hisch strangely made eye contact with Sein first. As if two people who I don¡¯t know are sharing something between them. Well¡­¡­ It just felt like that. Of course, Sein who went with him would also know the situation I was asking about right now, so they would naturally make eye contact. Hisch said with a slow smile. ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t a big deal¡­¡­ It¡¯s all settled.¡± ¡°I see, you did a great job.¡± Aigoo, my husband. As I put on a proud expression and held Hisch tightly in my arms, the man also hugged me. Perhaps it was a village close to the forest, because the scent of a refreshing forest emanated from his arms. Sein quickly disappeared with only a brief greeting, ¡®I will summarize the results in a report later¡¯ as if he couldn¡¯t bear to see our affection begin. ¡°Shall we rest a little before dinner? I¡¯m done with work, too. There are things I want to ask you about.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. Then I¡­¡­.¡± Suddenly, my field of vision shook. It was because Hisch strode forward and lifted me up. It was the so-called ¡®princess carry¡¯ posture, and when I slipped into his arms and blankly looked at Hisch, the man smiled shyly. ¡°For my wife who¡¯s been through a lot, I¡¯ll specially take you to the bedroom comfortably.¡± I found the man who said that cute and I put my arms around his neck even though the outcome was clear. ¡°Then take good care of me, honey.¡± And Hisch, who was intoxicated with the atmosphere and had forgotten that the bedroom corresponding to our master bedroom was on the seventh floor, at first moved me with a confident gait, and then slowly began to slow down climbing the stairs. I knew this would happen. How could you climb all those stairs with a person in your arms? That kind of thing only exists in dramas and novels. Still, I pretended not to know and kissed Hisch on the cheek, who eventually succeeded in climbing safely and carefully putting me down on the bed. My cute husband. CH 37 When I first took office here, there were three people who sent a letter to Hisch. The first was Baron Peloche who brought a conspiracy theory, saying, ¡®Have you been left out by the family?¡¯ and the second was the unscrupulous Baron Callif, who asked, ¡®How about my niece as a mistress?¡¯ And the last one was Baron Elrod, who showed off his old-fashionedness by saying, ¡®I¡¯ve been a native here for five generations.¡¯ And Ensis was indebted to all three of them. I interrupted the vassal¡¯s explanation about the creditors, and said with a mischievous smile. ¡°Should I guess before you talk? Baron Elrod and the other two nobles are at odds. What do you think?¡± Sein smiled and nodded at my words. ¡°You are indeed the Lord.¡± Usually, when a nobleman receives a certain territory, it is common for him to cultivate it from generation to generation. There were frequent cases of the family ruling the territory, such as Ensis, being cut off, the territory being sold, or the title being forfeited due to various circumstances. Therefore, surprisingly, there were few nobles who could be said to be native to the area, and the more people who put forward such things, the more they were certified as ''kkondae'' [1] and did not get along well with the surrounding territories. ¡°It just so happens to be good. He¡¯s even one of the beneficiaries of our territory business. I¡¯ll write him a letter.¡± ¡°Even if you don¡¯t do that, no matter how great the differences in status between the contracting parties are, there is plenty of room for a fight in court under the laws of the kingdom.¡± Sein said in a calm voice. ¡°In the absence of the master of Ensis, the words of Baron Peloche may have been accepted in practice, but now, the young lady¡­¡­ the Lord is here.¡± As Sein said, despite my failure to stay in Catlan and return to the countryside, no matter what my position within the family was, I was still the daughter of a Duke. It was not good to say this because it made me sound like a dirty gold spoon, but if the local baron mentioned his status in the trial, I would have an advantage. Of course, the fact that the contract was written before I came would be a hindrance, but if the other person persists with his position, then I too have a standing that is simply second to none. ¡°Well¡­¡­ There must be several ways. But it¡¯s a bother to get there, and in fact, it¡¯s better to just give the money than go through a trial. Time can¡¯t be bought with money.¡± Thinking about what was ahead, it was better to focus on other things than to waste time for just a few pennies. But I don¡¯t want to be a pushover, so I¡¯ll have to carry out my best. Sein nodded in agreement, and after a moment, he said. ¡°And my Lord, as I mentioned last time¡­¡­ the report on Mr. Hisch¡¯s abilities is roughly complete.¡± With that, I set aside the file I was flipping through for a moment and accepted the paper that Sein held out. Sein said that during my time in the capital, he briefly experimented with the power of Hisch. At first, I was angry that Sein had pushed ahead without Hisch¡¯s permission. Sein was also a wizard who couldn¡¯t help himself, and thinking about it made me feel bitter. Unexpectedly, however, Hisch had complied and had given him permission to find out as much as possible with the consent of the person himself. Perhaps Hisch had been curious about his power all along. That¡¯s what I think. ¡°¡­¡­To add a little bit of an idea, Mr. Hisch¡¯s power is amazing. Should I call it phenomenal?¡± A cursory glance at the report showed that it was indeed the case. There was no penalty, and the results showed that he could use his abilities not only by touching, but also by thinking strongly within a certain radius. It suddenly occurred to me that these people with great power in Evertail¡¯s diary were usually gentle people. Just as giraffes evolved long necks to pluck leaves from higher places, snakes chose to hibernate to conserve their energy. Perhaps that gentleness was the world¡¯s arrangement to ensure that those with great power did not somehow break the balance. If someone with a wicked heart wielded that power at will, this world would not have survived. ¡°But as strong as it may be, it is a dangerous power. What if, for example, an inanimate object like an arrow or a magic bullet flies in from a distance?¡± ¡°I think we can defend that part with a lot of powerful artifacts.¡± ¡°What if someone wants to cast mind-manipulation magic like brainwashing, hallucinations, or auditory hallucinations?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking of using up enough mana in the magic stone to cast powerful defense magic on Mr. Hisch. It would be difficult to defend permanently, but at least a powerful spell that would take about a month to destroy.¡± I nodded, as the methods Sein suggested made sense. As I listened to him silently, I suddenly looked up at the still rational but enthusiastic Sein. ¡°It¡¯s an ability that shows endless possibilities depending on how you use it. Since the Lord has recently been very interested in improving the military power of the territory, I think this ability of Mr. Hisch will also be a great help to Ensis.¡± For some reason, his eyes seem to be burning. As a researcher, of course it may be a burning passion. I shook my head at him as he said to use Hisch quite naturally. ¡°No, I don¡¯t intend to. And discard this report after you have memorized it completely. Write down another fake report.¡± ¡°You have no intention of doing it?¡± Sein said, dumbfounded by my words. ¡°It is a great power. After all, Mr. Hisch once used this power to save the territory. There has been a lot of trouble in the kingdom lately, and Mr. Hisch¡¯s presence will definitely be of vital importance in the future.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right, but I don¡¯t want to force Hisch to do that.¡± Perhaps Sein has no idea what I am talking about. If this was a novel and I were a reader, I might have thought like Sein. With such power, why suffer with it so much? The writer is just forcing sweet potatoes [2] . You can just get rid of anything you don¡¯t like. No need to be serious. What¡¯s the problem with that? It¡¯s a novel anyway. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The upcoming apocalypse may also be solved very easily with Hisch¡¯s power. Maybe me, too. When the moment of desperation comes, I might eventually cling to Hisch for help. But no. My husband could take such an easy way, but he took the long way, going round in circles. The man, who could just destroy what he didn¡¯t like and perhaps reign like a demon lord in a fairytale, found happiness there by silently tending to trees and flowers. There must be a reason for that. Hisch must have hidden this ability from me for some reason that I, as a stranger, could not simply judge. ¡°I¡¯m not going to tell Hisch to do this. If Hisch wants to use it, he can. He can also not use it.¡± At my words, Sein frowned. ¡°It¡¯s inefficient.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t explain it either.¡± It may be the worst decision for a ruler, but I personally believe it is the right decision. But on the other hand, I was amazed at myself for making such a decision. In order to live in peace, I married him and moved to this countryside territory. For my original purpose, I had to either seek Hisch¡¯s cooperation and use his power to escape the situation, or I had to hide his power thoroughly so as not to get caught up in useless things. But neither side tempted me. I no longer desire to move Hisch at my will just to achieve my purpose. I held the report in both hands and looked at Sein once, and the man nodded, even though he looked displeased. Seeing that, I tore the paper I was holding in half without hesitation. ¡°It¡¯s just that I cherish Hisch so much that I am acting recklessly.¡± Sein just bowed his head, without answering my words. The letter I sent to Baron Elrod, the kkondae of the three, worked surprisingly well, and he visited Ensis the very next day in response to my letter asking for advice. He was indeed a middle-aged man who liked to give advice, and as soon as the man with the mustache got out of the carriage, he began to point at the Lord¡¯s castle. ¡°Oh my, this is so poorly managed. You can¡¯t manage it like this. No touch of an expert [3] at all¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It was a bit funny to see Albert, who would be saddened by being second in meticulousness, not saying anything and just listening with an upset expression. After looking at him for a moment, I deliberately pretended as if I had just arrived, and approached the man with my arms outstretched. ¡°Baron Elrod! Thank you for visiting.¡± The man, who had been clicking his tongue at my appearance and was admonishing me about the management of the mansion, looked up and down at me. The rude look made Sein frown, but I continued without removing my smile. ¡°I made a sudden request, but I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d come here at once.¡± ¡°Ahem. Well, although the reply to the letter was a little slow, the Lord must have been busy adjusting to an unfamiliar environment, so it is not something that I would not understand.¡± Yeah, yeah, I was actually just gonna read your letter and ignore it. CH 38 I introduced Sein with a polite smile, introducing him as my vassal, and talked about the weather and strange phenomena when I had nothing to say. Usually, the Baron would voice his opinion, and if I reacted favorably to it, he would become more engrossed in it and talk excitedly. I responded to him with vacant eyes, wondering in my mind what was going to be served at lunch today. After moving to the drawing room to talk and have a cup of tea, the atmosphere was so harmonious that it couldn¡¯t be better. Baron Elrod even praised the Duke of Catlan saying that he was a very well-mannered and respectable man, even though he met him once nearly a few decades ago. I laughed out loud and nodded, but when the conversation was about to be lulled, I suddenly let out a deep sigh. ¡°Phew, talking to the Baron made me feel a little better, but I also felt bad as I remembered a problem I had been putting off.¡± ¡°Hmm? Is something wrong?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ It¡¯s nothing, but¡­¡­. the Baron knows that our Ensis has been in debt for years, right?¡± ¡°I know. I am one of the creditors who was liquidated a while ago.¡± I nodded my head. ¡°My territory suffered a severe famine a few years ago¡­¡­ Even before I took office, I was in debt to the surrounding territories. And everyone was willing to lend money.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°And after I took office, fortunately, for one reason or another, funds came in and I was able to pay off my debts¡­¡­¡± I let out a deep sigh. ¡°Not too long ago, Peloche sent a representative demanding a larger amount of money.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Baron Elrod¡¯s expression became slightly twisted. Admittedly, I do not wish to become embroiled in a dispute that appears to be a mere trifle. ¡°Well¡­¡­ Baron Peloche may have some sly aspects, but he¡¯s not someone who would make an unreasonable demand. We¡¯ll have to work things out through negotiation, won¡¯t we?¡± I smiled at the man who said that nonchalantly, even though he was obviously aware that the Baron was using force here and there to the point of being called a vile moneylender. ¡°Of course. But it¡¯s something that happened before I took over the territory, so it¡¯s a matter for me to look into. But¡­¡­ Haa.¡± ¡°What else is the problem?¡± In response to my big sigh, Baron Elrod, who must have had it hard to ignore me, who had been smiling and laughing just a moment ago, approached me. When I gestured for Sein to come, he nodded and laid out a map of the surrounding area in front of us. ¡°Having received a wedding dowry this time and having had some good luck, Ensis¡¯s finances are more ample than in previous years. Due to this, we were also able to settle our debts. So I thought about using¡­¡­ some of the remaining money to start a business.¡± Here is a brief explanation of the geography. Three neighboring territories and Ensis were connected like lumps, and above their territory was a mountain range that crossed our territory. I lightly pointed with my index finger at the middle of the mountain range on the map. ¡°I was planning to dig a tunnel here.¡± ¡°Tunnel?¡± ¡°To facilitate access to the capital.¡± The expression on Baron Elrod¡¯s face changed at my words. His expression was so serious that it was unimaginable that he was the person who had just been disapproving of everything and chatting and giggling with me about trivial stories. How much did their families, who had lived in this land for generations, also wish for this? ¡°If only this mountain wasn¡¯t here. Have you ever¡­¡­ thought about it once?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Our territory is blocked by this mountain range and suffers too many disadvantages because of this. Not only is the shortest route to the capital blocked, but we are also ignored by tourists heading there.¡± At my words, the man looked at me with a skeptical expression. ¡°So you¡¯re going to dig through the mountain range¡­¡­ Do you have the capital to make it happen?¡± Seeing his eyes that were assessing me, I smiled. I didn¡¯t look too confident, but considering my background, anyone would find it plausible. It may be difficult, but not impossible. That was the expression I had as if it was only natural. ¡°But¡­¡­ Well, not quite.¡± I shrugged. ¡°If I had to pay off the additional debt Peloche is demanding¡­¡­ I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s possible?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± If you want to revive the business that will fulfill your long-cherished desire, grill and boil Baron Peloche and bring him to my presence. At my words, which were said in a way that turned the conversation around, the man¡¯s expression, which was just uninterested a moment ago, brightened up. Being escorted by knights, the red-haired man, who can now be considered as the most powerful man in the kingdom, calmly fiddled with the coins in his pocket. He seemed to find comfort just by gently rubbing the rough surface with his thumb, without even using his ability. Callen¡¯s ability was not strong. However, it was more useful than his nephew, Esdelle, in some ways. To be more precise, while Esdelle could only pick up a few fragments of letters floating in people¡¯s minds, Callen could read the memories of objects with 100% probability, albeit very fragmentarily. When he was a knight, he used his ability to read the path of monsters or target objects, but after retiring, he no longer needed to do so and started collecting objects he liked. There are numerous ways to reminisce about people, such as by using magic photos or video footage of their moving appearance. But for this man, there was no suitable means to reminisce about others as much as this method. At that moment, a flame exploded in Callen¡¯s mind. Flames lit up the pitch-black night sky, and the back view of a beige-haired woman staring at it. She was small, much smaller than Callen, that Callen wondered if he would be able to hide her if he held her in his arms. The woman turned around. Tired turquoise eyes stared at the man with excitement despite the dazzling scenery. And as always, the memory ended there, and Callen blinked. ¡°Your audience has been granted.¡± The head chamberlain said respectfully and bowed his head. As Callen nodded and shifted his steps, the knights who surrounded him as if protecting him instantly formed a line and stood guard in the corridor. Naturally passing through it, Callen knocked on the door, and the firm voice of a woman was heard from inside. ¡°Come in.¡± As always in a room with a sick person, it gives off a somewhat bleak feeling. Although there were a total of four people in the room, including the lady-in-waiting and Callen. The atmosphere around the middle-aged woman, who was fiddling with her wrinkled hands with sunken eyes, was always surrounded by a desolate atmosphere. Despite the familiar place he had already visited several times, Callen was so overwhelmed by the atmosphere that he hesitated very slightly and stopped walking, only to make eye contact with the woman who was looking at him with a determined posture. Was it because the majestic presence of this country, who is now lying weakly beyond the curtain, was not able to emit light now? Or was it because one of the two lights that used to shine had faded, and the remaining one was shining even more for her companion? ¡°I greet His Majesty the King and¡­¡­ Her Majesty the Queen.¡± ¡°Yes, Marquis Ophius. It¡¯s been a while.¡± On the other hand, the man did not say anything. Perhaps he was asleep as Callen could only hear his light breathing on the bed. After a while, Callen opened his mouth, perhaps feeling that it was rude to not talk. ¡°You must have been through a lot.¡± ¡°I am only emotionally tired. It is him who is having a hard time, so my fatigue is nothing.¡± The woman who spoke calmly turned and invited Callen to sit down with her. The two sat facing each other in a simple chair without a table. Kleinin¡¯s queen, Elizabeth Kleinin, straightened her back as if she were taking the place of her husband who was lying down. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have walked this far just to praise me.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Just get down to business. When a person¡¯s mind is not at ease, everything feels burdensome.¡± The middle-aged woman¡¯s calm but knife-like voice made the red-haired man bow deeply. ¡°I am here to talk to Your Majesty¡­¡­ about the recent strange phenomena happening in the kingdom and even on the continent.¡± ¡°I see. You have been working hard helping the prince. Has this already been reported to the prince?¡± As Callen looked at her in affirmation, Elizabeth nodded slightly. ¡°Including our kingdom, we have cooperated with Carshion, Luidel, and even Asmo in the south¡­¡­ to gather information and have summoned wizards to investigate the phenomenon that has been happening¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Right before the gap in space opened and monsters started pouring out, we detected a significant mana wave. It¡¯s different from the kind that normal wizards use, but it was clearly intentional.¡± ¡°That story.¡± ¡°This is not just a phenomenon or an accident.¡± In front of the seemingly aloof woman, the red-haired man declared in a low voice. ¡°This is a man-made incident. ¡­¡­Someone, or some group, is intentionally causing all of this.¡± The city, which had become a mess due to the sudden attack of the goblins, reinforced its security by dispatching the territory garrison, and in the process, the castle of the Lord that had been attacked was rebuilt more strongly. And under the castle walls, Sir Oswald, who had been training with Sir Ted until just a while ago, has become a senior knight and is now training the new soldiers of the territory. Every time I heard the rough chants and shouts of the tough-looking men, the cool and gentle wind passing by felt so sweet. And all of this was made possible because of money. Of course, happiness cannot be bought with money, but all the conditions or situations necessary for happiness can be bought. Long live capitalism. But if there¡¯s anything that bothers me¡­¡­. ¡°It¡¯s too peaceful.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± CH 39 ¡°¡­¡­.¡± In the meantime, the loyal knight who was standing at my side instead of Sein, who had left his seat, was silently looking at the front as firm as a rock even as I talked. Wow, this is awkward. If it were Sein, he would have gracefully told me that I am worrying over nothing and even asked me the meaning of my words. I, who have foolishly become a person who speaks nonsense in the air, faked a cough and pulled out a letter from my pocket. The sender is Miller Firenze. Miller and I rarely, if ever, exchange letters in an official manner. The contents of the last letter were nothing more than adjustments to the supply of the magic stones and the timing of payment settlement, which were business-related matters. I was writing to him about the current state of affairs in the kingdom, as if I was writing about the weather, writing that I would not sell the rest of the magic stones I had and that I would stop trading for the time being The letter in my hand is a reply to that. [The kingdom is currently suffering from attacks by monsters. It is still the same. I know the Baron has experience with it, but recently, it appears you¡¯ve been too busy and have forgotten about it. Furthermore, I am worried that there may not be anyone else who can provide this kind of information, as unfortunately, the informant is no longer with us. It would be nice to spend one¡¯s life comfortably in a place with fresh air and clear water, but as a Lord, it is necessary to at least be aware of the minimum state of affairs for the people of the territory. In addition, I was somewhat relieved by the fact that there will be no trading for the time being. As I¡¯m going to be busy too. Hopefully we can have good trading opportunities again at other times.] Are you asking me because you don¡¯t know such obvious things? No one told you? Don¡¯t you think you should be aware since your territory has been attacked once? And I¡¯m actually busy, so thank you for cutting the deal? ¡­¡­It was a very precious letter that can be summarized as such. Yes, thank you for providing me with high-level information. Break your nose when you¡¯re on your way, Miller. ¡°Sir Ted, I¡¯m sorry, but please dump this in the incinerator on your way.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± After ordering the loyal knight to expunge the letter with my curse on it, I idly gazed over my castle and my territory beyond. I did not ask Miller about the current situation not because I truly did not know. As I said to myself, which Sir Ted did not accept, it only bothered me that Ensis was too peaceful compared to other regions. Simply put, our territory had not experienced the kind of random disasters that occurred elsewhere, and I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if that was just the way things were. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I thought it was suspicious, but maybe that¡¯s just me. But, to be honest, the more leisurely time I had, the better Soon, the first milestone of the monumental project of drilling a tunnel through the mountain range that traverses the territory will be completed, and ways to shoot down the enemy in the sky with the remaining magic stones will also be developed. Additionally, I had plans to ask magic engineers to create artificial devices that would allow for natural circulation within caverns of a size that people could live in, and to find out if they could dig them. I wanted to do everything I could to implement the contents of countless fantasy and science fiction novels that I had read in the past as a modern person. At first, I thought that this place was just a world from a book, and that the apocalypse was inevitably coming. Although I was terrified by the plot of the sequel where the world was destroyed. After learning that someone who had transmigrated here in the past had changed the predetermined future of the world being destroyed¡­¡­ Even if we can¡¯t stop it, maybe we can avoid it. That¡¯s what I thought. And I also realized that this was not the time to look at my husband who unconditionally trusts me. I was determined to find a way to live safely with Hisch. I guess this is why people get married. The thought of having to protect my family in any way somehow instills a sense of purpose in me. ¡°Sir Ted¡­¡­. this is really out of the blue, but I wonder if you can listen to me.¡± At my words, the brown-haired man behind me asked in a serious voice. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± ¡°No, I just thought about something.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I think Hisch is so kind and cute.¡± At my words, Sir Ted was silent for a moment, and then replied in a low voice. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°I never knew until I actually got married, but it¡¯s really different from what I thought it would be. Should I say it¡¯s a sense of belonging? Is it correct to say that I feel like I have found an absolute supporter of mine?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Look at Hisch. Can you see how caring, how diligent he works, and how kind-hearted he is?¡± ¡°Indeed he is.¡± ¡°And how cute he is too. He is really too good a companion for me. When I see Hisch when I wake up in the morning, I naturally think that I should cheer up today¡­¡­¡± ¡°Please refrain from expressing your affection while holding onto poor Sir Roelich, my Lord.¡± I quickly turned my head to the familiar argument, and as expected, the vassal with an unpleasant expression was looking at me. At that moment, the brown-haired man shook his head. ¡°No, my Lord. Seeing you talk about your husband with such happiness brings me joy as your vassal.¡± Waah! The best vassal of this year! As I looked at Sein confidently, the man looked at Sir Ted with an expression of disbelief. It was like looking at a creature he couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°Sir Roelich, I¡¯m telling you this just in case. No matter how much you flatter my Lord, it will not benefit you.¡± No, that¡¯s ridiculous. How can my aide criticize me like I¡¯m some protagonist in a romance fantasy who always brags about his beautiful lover! ¡­¡­Huh? Could it be? ¡°¡­¡­But Sein, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Before he could continue talking about my appearance, I asked him to get to the point and he slowly lowered his head and said. ¡°Important guests have come to visit and requested to see you, my Lord.¡° Important guests? I tilted my head. As soon as I entered the drawing room, two men greeted me in different ways. The first person I noticed was Baron Elrod, who had left in a huff not long ago. He was stroking his well-groomed mustache, and when he saw me, he stood up with a visibly pleased expression. The man sitting next to him also stood up and looked at me. Unlike Baron Elrod, who had a plump body, the man with a sullen face was looking at me with disapproving eyes. Although it was our first time meeting, I could tell that he was Baron Peloche, who had recently sent me an unexpected contract through his knight. After a simple introduction, I smiled and opened my mouth. ¡°Baron Peloche, Baron Elrod. Thank you for coming to see me. I was surprised by your sudden visit.¡± I still said it, even though I knew what kind of answer would come. From here on, it was like a play where we both knew each other¡¯s moves and spoke accordingly. Sure enough, Baron Elrod said, pounding his chest. ¡°Well, it¡¯s best to resolve this big matter as quickly as possible. That¡¯s why I hurried to mediate between the two of you.¡± While Baron Elrod was speaking very faithfully, Baron Peloche looked at him with a scowling expression from the side. I covered my mouth with both hands, feeling touched by Baron Elrod¡¯s words, and thanked him for his consideration. In truth, whether my covered mouth was smiling or not, no one in this room would have paid any attention to it anyway. Baron Elrod first suggested that we sit down instead of standing and talking, and I quickly accepted, so I sat opposite Baron Peloche with Baron Elrod in between us. Soon a servant brought tea to each of us, but no one reached for it. While Baron Elrod and I were excitedly exchanging pleasantries, the man who had been sitting there like a lump of barley, staring at the steam rising from his tea, finally spoke up. ¡°It seems like the two of you are very close to each other. Anyway, Lord, I would like to get to the main topic.¡± Of course, the man, who was expected to talk about the debt contract, proceeded on to say this. ¡°But there¡¯s something I want to hear first. I heard that you¡¯re planning to pave a road through the mountain range that crosses Ensis. Is that really possible in the first place?¡± ¡°What do you mean by really possible?¡± ¡°Whether you have a feasible business plan in place, and whether you really have that much capital secured. I mean things like that.¡± Baron Elrod, who was smiling at Baron Peloche¡¯s words, also looked at me quietly. I blinked my eyes and soon rested my arms in the armrest with my chin resting on my hand. ¡°It is actually a planned project and construction is scheduled to start soon, but¡­¡­¡± Then I said with a mischievous smile. ¡°You two gentlemen seem to be very interested in that matter?¡± Of course, there would be a great interest in that. I knew that, and so did the two men in front of me. However, nobles never speak directly. Sure enough, Baron Elrod, with a sly glint in his eyes, arched his eyebrows as he spoke. ¡°It¡¯s because Baron Peloche and I are worried, Lord. That mountain range is really perilous and there¡¯s a possibility of wasting a lot of capital.¡± While doing so, Baron Elrod gave really condescending advice, such as ¡®you¡¯re still young¡¯, ¡®you have no experience¡¯, and ¡®you haven¡¯t been here for very long¡¯. CH 40 I listened to them talk with a smile, but I knew that if I couldn¡¯t show myself as trustworthy here, everything would become meaningless. This was a so-called test. Would the sudden arrival of the young noblewoman really solve the long-standing problems of this region, or was she just bluffing? To judge whether I really had the ability. I gestured at Sein. The sensible vassal promptly unrolled the trade contract that the top merchant, Firenze, and our territory had agreed upon before us. There were also other contracts with larger amounts written on them, but I deliberately showed only reasonable ones. Because I don¡¯t want to walk too carefully at night. After carefully reviewing the contract, the two men finally raised their heads and looked at me with a convinced expression. ¡°For technical issues, we will seek help from magic engineers. My vassal, Sein¡­¡­¡± When I pointed at the gray-haired man with my eyes, Sein bowed politely. ¡°¡­¡­He is well-acquainted with his colleagues as he has expertise in the field of magic engineering. If this doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯m going to consult from various places through the connections of my family, Catlan. Would this make you less worried?¡± Of course, I don¡¯t want to be indebted to Catlan for this kind of thing. The two Barons cleared their throats when I talked about my family with a smile, which seemed to be effective. ¡°I see, I see. The Lord must have an idea. Wow, this must be the spirit of a young person. I¡¯m looking forward to the future, hahaha!¡± As opposed to Baron Elrod who nodded and laughed loudly as if he acknowledged everything, Baron Peloche, who seemed to be of the opinion that I had been kicked out of Catlan, muttered with a slightly displeased expression. ¡°No, but¡­¡­ isn¡¯t it still a fact that there¡¯s a burden of risk?¡± ¡°Well, Baron, I¡¯d never imagined you were that pessimistic.¡± As if he had completely made up his mind to take my side, Baron Elrod looked at the man and said. ¡°It seems like Lord is determined to complete the task, but you won¡¯t support her. Is that something that would kill you? Wow, really. When I was¡­¡­¡± Is criticizing those who offer help with difficult tasks now the right thing to do? If you want to become a big man with a broad mind like me¡­ such words were intended to make the listener¡¯s ears tingle. Baron Peloche was looking at him with a completely worn out expression. ¡°Excuse me, I¡¯m sorry to interrupt, but can we get back to the main topic?¡± As I softly interjected between them, Baron Elrod, who was getting worked up, gave a light cough and clapped his hands. ¡°Right, we were talking about the debt contract, weren¡¯t we? Baron Elrod. What do you think?¡± ¡°¡­¡­what do you mean by that?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s an open fact that Ensis has borrowed a certain amount of money from the surrounding territories. Is there any possibility that the contract held by Peloche is incorrect?¡± It was the same as saying that Baron Peloche had just committed fraud. As a result, the face of the man who heard this became subtly distorted. ¡°Are you implying that there was an error at the time of the writing of the contract when I personally witnessed it myself?¡± ¡°Well, even if it¡¯s not the Baron, the person below may have made a mistake in writing the contract, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Is it really worth getting worked up about a neighboring territory just because of such a small amount of money? Huh?¡± Because of Baron Elrod who bet on me and defended me with all his heart, I did not interfere and simply watched as the two men squabbled. As expected, watching a fight is the most exciting thing in the world, and if that fight is one that I am a part of, there is no greater thrill. In the end, Baron Peloch, defeated and crying, wrote a document acknowledging that all debts between Peloche and Ensis had been settled. I even received confirmation from Baron Elrod, who was a witness, and handed it to Sein. With this, we could end things amicably and continue to live well as nobles in the same region. But I had a slightly different opinion. To be honest, I found Peloche a bit unpleasant. Judging by Albert¡¯s meticulous nature, it is likely that he borrowed money from the Baron following proper procedures. But what about the man in front of me? Simply because Albert¡¯s status is low, or because I, who have not been in office for long, he ignored the contract with the official seal, thinking that someone like me could be easily defeated. If the situation changes suddenly, I don¡¯t want to be with someone who could backstab me at any time, and I don¡¯t have the desire to have a good relationship with him in the future. Then I should cut it off before it¡¯s too late. Not surprisingly, although Baron Peloche may appear a bit dissatisfied, he has a satisfied expression. This is because he knows that the tunnel project will bring in bigger profits if it succeeds. I smiled widely, trying to lighten the mood. ¡°Now that the debt problem is solved, my mind feels lighter. I am especially grateful to Baron Elrod for mediating.¡± As I directed the credit for this dramatic reconciliation to Baron Elrod, he coughed awkwardly. But it was natural for Baron Peloche¡¯s face to be contorted, as he was the one who had actually agreed to the plan. ¡°Since you two have a broad insight and know well about this region, may I ask for your opinions on the project of Ensis that we briefly talked about earlier?¡± ¡°Sure, sure. What good is being neighbors if we don¡¯t help each other out?¡± ¡°Hm, hm.¡± Despite the eagerness of Baron Elrod, Baron Peloche still seemed tired, but he couldn¡¯t hide his curiosity as he looked at me. I had Sein lay out the map of the region between us, and then pointed with my index finger to three parts of the mountain range as I had explained to Baron Elrod before. ¡°Originally, the plan we were pushing for was to dig a tunnel large enough for a carriage to pass through in these three places, but¡­¡­¡± And then I gestured towards the side closest to Peloche with my pointer finger and spoke. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of not digging a tunnel here.¡± ¡°No, why!¡± Baron Peloche suddenly stood up and spoke. His response was unbelievably quick as someone who had been worrying about the authenticity of this project until just now. ¡°I even reduced the debt!¡± My eyes opened wide and I said. ¡°Baron, you reduced it? Didn¡¯t the baron admit that there was a mistake? I¡¯m not sure what the original debt has to do with this project, but¡­¡­¡± Of course there must be a connection. ¡®He must have said that he would make way for the mountain range if he wrote off the debt.¡¯ Baron Elrod must have misled him with these words. At my words, Baron Peloche looked at Baron Elrod as if he was asking him to take his side. Of course, that old man, acting as if unaware, just looked at me with astonishment on his face. ¡°What¡¯s going on here, Lord? It seems like the plan is different from when I heard it.¡± ¡°It seems that the budget will increase more than expected.¡± I replied, shrugging my shoulders. ¡°This, what¡­!¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s unfortunate, but isn¡¯t it important that we open a way through the mountain?¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± Baron Elrod, who owns the southern territory that had nothing to do with the direction of the tunnel, nodded and put in a word of support. After nodding our heads in agreement, I sneakily turned my head towards the man with his mouth agape. Up until now, Ensis had to watch out for your actions. Now that things are dire, will you step up and take action? ¡°But if a nearby territory provides funding, well, there might be room for reconsideration.¡± I¡¯m not saying I¡¯ll do it, I¡¯ll just think about it. Of course, Baron Peloche could have just dismissed it as nonsense and left, and the matter could have been resolved by simply wiping away the debt that never existed in the first place. But the most crucial thing was: ¡®will the project really go through?¡¯, ¡®if it does, what kind of return can we expect?¡¯, and ¡®exactly how much money do I have to offer Baron Ensis to talk her into doing it?¡¯ The decision now lies with this man who keeps worrying about these things. I smiled brightly at Baron Peloche, who must be calculating hard inwardly. If you know, you¡¯ll either pay the money and we¡¯ll talk about it, or get lost, dude. When asked ¡®won¡¯t you at least have a meal before you go?¡¯, Baron Peloche replied curtly, ¡®I¡¯m fine,¡¯ and left without even looking at me. Baron Elrod must have found it amusing, as he had a silly snicker on his face. As he also said he would be leaving, I bid farewell to the two guests and then walked leisurely to our mansion¡¯s dining room and took a seat. Because a rewarding meal after work is the best. I was holding my utensils and had my shoulders relaxed while I waited for the food to be served, when Sein, who was sitting to my right, scolded me, saying it was against dining etiquette. ¡°You seem to be in a good mood.¡± ¡°Of course, since I saved money without doing anything. I¡¯m already looking forward to how much Peloche will offer.¡± ¡°I thought it would be good if I gained his favor. But in any case, as we are neighboring territories, I imagine we will have many opportunities to interact in the future.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we have to make even more of a mess. So that he will think twice before bumping into us to make trouble.¡± The gray-haired man made a strange expression when I spoke. ¡°I have served you for quite some time, my Lord, but there are still times when I can¡¯t fathom your intentions. Despite how rational you may appear, there are certain aspects that make you very soft-hearted.¡± ¡°For example?¡± CH 41 ¡°It¡¯s the same with Albert. If it were me, I wouldn¡¯t go to all that trouble, I would have driven him out for hiding the accounts. Rather, the conclusion would have been different if we talked about it as the Lord of the territory close to Peloche.¡± Well, that could have been one way to handle it. Albert¡¯s attitude towards me was never particularly good from the beginning. But he clearly made an effort to protect this territory despite not having any authority or noble status. I am a noble and he is a commoner. He made me angry and even tried to deceive me. And he almost ruined things, and I could have driven him out, as Sein said. Actually, even if I had done so, no one would have blamed me. So why did I do that? Perhaps because a stranger from another world¡¯s way of thinking still remains somewhere in my mind. But I didn¡¯t want to let this affect how I work. When I was a reader, I used to shout ¡°How great, how great¡± to the protagonist, but now that I¡¯m in his position, I started to see the various situations of the others. But there were also times when I gave orders even though I knew it would cost them their job and possibly their life. And yet, in the eyes of Sein, who had been born and raised here as a nobleman, I still looked soft as a nobleman. ¡°Albert is a commoner, but it¡¯s commendable that he has faithfully guarded the territory of the Duke. Besides, he¡¯s an expert on Ensis, so he might be more useful in the future.¡± This aristocratic way of speaking would convince not only Sein, but also everyone around me. Even Albert himself would nod in agreement if he heard me. It was really a crazy caste system. Soon, the servants started bringing out the meal, as if cutting off the headache-inducing conversation. Without much thought, I cut a slice of the steak in front of me, as I had always done, and my eyes widened as I savored the flavor. ¡°It¡¯s spicy.¡± ¡°What?¡± Sein asked, as if questioning my sudden outburst, but I ignored him and gently scraped the surface of the well-done steak with my fork. As I did, a red sauce I had seen in the past started to come out. ¡°My food is spicy. What about yours, Sein?¡± Sein¡¯s face hardened into a grimace at my words. In this world, spiciness, or more accurately, the sense of pungency, was not a popular sensation. It was something added to meals to make someone sick or, in extreme cases, to torture someone. Perhaps that¡¯s why, upon hearing my words, Sein¡¯s voice rose in anger. ¡°The taste of my food is perfectly normal, but who would dare¡­¡± ¡°No¡­ That¡­ I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a bad intention.¡± Isn¡¯t it? Perhaps, like foreigners on Earth who were not used to spicy Korean food, this level of spiciness could be torture for people in this world. It had been a long time since I had tasted something spicy, or at least with my own body, and my tongue was actually tingling with the spiciness. But more than that, I felt a longing and a sense of joy, and the thought of ¡®delicious¡¯ came first. Sob sob, I had been eating only salty and greasy food every day. I thought that spicy food did not exist in this world, so I just lived without it. But when the spiciness spread to the tip of my tongue after a long time, the Korean blood in my soul boiled. Despite my denials, Sein was already ordering the servants to call the chef with a stern face. I also wanted to hear the reason, but my hands did not stop slicing and eating the meat. It was the first time I had eaten spicy food in a long time, and it was so delicious it brought tears to my eyes. Soon, the door to the dining room opened, and a plump man rushed in, wiping his sweat with a handkerchief. He alternately looked at me eating the meat and Sein with a cold expression, then politely bowed his head. ¡°I greet you, my Lord.¡± ¡°Uh, yes. You worked hard.¡± ¡°Oh, no, not all. Is there¡­ something wrong?¡± I asked the man while picking up a piece of steak meat that I had sliced and poking it with a fork. ¡°No, the food was very delicious today. It was slightly spicy and delicious¡­¡± Sein looked at me silently, as if I was saying something completely out of place, so I naturally changed the subject. ¡°¡­Today¡¯s food seemed different than usual. And it seems like only my food has added spice, so I was curious if there was a reason for it today.¡± At my words, the chef said, wiping off his sweat with his handkerchief once again. ¡°Well¡­ that was requested by Mr. Hisch.¡± At the sudden mention of that name, both Sein and I widened our eyes in surprise. ¡°Mr. Hisch?¡± In response to Sein¡¯s suspicious words, the chef waved his hand. ¡°H-He brought a spice that I had never seen before and asked me to mix it properly into the Lord¡¯s meal¡­ When I tasted it first, it seemed to be very spicy, so I had my doubts, but I couldn¡¯t refuse the request of the Lord¡¯s husband.¡± Thinking he was being reprimanded, the chef fidgeted and stammered out an excuse. Sein looked at him as if he doubted the sincerity of his words, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to speak as I felt a stirring in my chest. ¡®Of course, here in this world, there were times when I had to write down documents by hand, and there was no spicy food. If someone breaks the rules, people will be killed too¡­¡¯ My secrets as if it was just a delusion that I couldn¡¯t confide in anyone, but one day I inadvertently blurted it out to him. Yes¡­ You¡¯ve always believed it and remembered it. ¡°I see¡­ I understand.¡± I barely managed to say that. ¡°Thank you.¡± I blurted out the words that, in fact, I should have said directly to my husband, and smiled broadly. It was late when Hisch returned to the room. He looked a bit tired, and with a crude touch, he rubbed the back of his neck. The lights were off and it was dark, as if the room was unoccupied, and he seemed much more relaxed than he had in front of me. Hisch was about to sit up in bed when I, still hidden under the covers, grabbed him by the waist, and pushed him onto the bed. ¡°Liddell?!¡± Startled, Hisch struggled as I climbed on top of him and firmly held his cheek. I thought about giving him a deep kiss, like we¡¯d done before, but he desperately pushed my shoulder away and shouted, ¡°No!¡± ¡°W-W-Wait! My heart is not prepared yet¡­!¡± ¡°¡­No, if anyone sees us¡­ they might think I¡¯m a wicked Lord or something.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. Even in the darkness with the help of the dim moonlight, I could see Hisch¡¯s face flushed red. He covered his face with his arm and looked at me through the gap. He stayed still as if observing me, and then, as if he couldn¡¯t take it anymore, he grabbed me by the shoulders and pulled me into his arms, and rolled me on the bed. As I burst out laughing, Hisch also chuckled softly and stretched his arms out to light the magic lantern. A soft glow illuminated the man¡¯s face as he looked at me fondly. I stroked his cheek with my thumb. ¡°Aren¡¯t you pushing yourself too hard these days? You seem to be getting back late and¡­¡­. are you having trouble with work?¡± I tried to alleviate Hisch¡¯s burden by saying that, even if it meant turning his work schedule upside down. The man looked at my face as I spoke and soon said this. ¡°I thought so until just now¡­ but when I saw your face, I thought everything was okay.¡± ¡°¡­Still, if it¡¯s too hard, you need to talk about it, okay?¡± Hisch nodded his head and hugged me tighter. As his breath tickled my ear, I felt strange and straightened myself and stood up. I opened my mouth to speak to Hisch, who looked at me strangely as I broke free of his embrace. ¡°Today, I had lunch¡­ It was really delicious.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Hisch smiled happily. ¡°How was it? I don¡¯t know if it was the taste you remembered. If I knew how to cook, I would have made a lot of things for you.¡± When he spoke softly, there was something so lovely about him. I suddenly became curious about the true nature of the feeling I am experiencing right now. Is it really just a comfortable feeling, or the feeling I have when I look at my family? Or is it something else¡­ I tried to cut off the thought that was about to continue and turned the conversation around. ¡°By the way, where did you get those spices? It doesn¡¯t seem like the people around here eat spicy foods.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± The man, who hesitated for a moment at my words, soon got up like me and said. ¡°Umm. I was going to show you when it¡¯s a little more complete.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing special. But still. Um. Since we¡¯re talking about it¡­.¡± Hisch said with a shy smile. ¡°Do you want to take a look at it with me right now?¡± The place Hisch led me to was the most secluded spot in the mansion¡¯s garden, where even the servants seemed to rarely venture. The entrance was oddly concealed by trees and foliage, making it feel like a secret hideout. Small magical lights emitted a faint glow around some of the plants. I wasn¡¯t sure of their purpose, but it seemed as though they were giving the plants the sunshine they lacked, as if compensating for the lack of sunlight when they were on earth. ¡°Wow, what is all this? It looks like a small garden. What are you growing here?¡± With that said, I was soon left speechless when I saw the signs on the plants in the small flower beds. [Spicy Seasonings] [Yellow Grain Therophyte] [Black seeds with stimulant effects] ¡°Actually¡­ I tried to find the closest thing based on your description, but I¡¯m still not sure what it is.¡± CH 42 Hisch smiled bashfully. ¡°It¡¯s nothing spectacular, but I was hoping to show it to you when I had a field that was more or less complete. But I thought¡­ it would be more accurate if I asked you questions while raising them.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What¡¯s wrong, Liddell?¡± I bit my lip when he asked. So, these are for me. These were the results of the stories that I poured out to him, whether he believed them or not, hoping to make myself feel better. At that time, there was no doubt in Hisch¡¯s expression as he listened to my words, and I felt grateful that he just listened to my absurd story. The man in front of me picked up the fragments of my self-satisfaction story and put them together alone. The things that even I had forgotten and tried to bury, this man had cherished it and was giving them back to me. I stood there in disbelief, staring at the space where that thought had materialized, unable to take it in. What¡­ should I do? How should I handle this feeling of mine? ¡°¡­This one. It looks like a coffee bean.¡± After a long moment of silence, I barely managed to say that as I fiddled with the plant that had been labeled a ¡®black seed with stimulant effects¡¯. Hisch, who had been looking at me with a puzzled and worried expression on his face, nodded in agreement. ¡°¡­This is like corn. It¡¯s yellow, and it has a lot of kernels¡­¡± I muttered while touching the plant with a sign that read ¡®Yellow Grain Therophyte.¡¯ ¡®Corn,¡¯ murmured Hisch, as if he were following my words. ¡°You know what, Hisch¡­¡± ¡°Yes, Liddell.¡± ¡°I really¡­ don¡¯t know what to say.¡± I tried to speak while feeling a complex mix of emotions, but above all, I felt like I had to convey this feeling. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ I¡¯m really grateful. For everything.¡± For thinking of me, for wanting to do something for me, for everything. Come to think of it, Hisch has always been like that. I was troubled by the thought of whether I could truly return the feelings he gave me, feelings that I didn¡¯t even consider or think about. It made me both happy and¡­ scared. ¡°Then just smile.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Why do you look like that?¡± With a playful but worried tone, Hisch leaned forward and looked at me with his black but sparkling eyes. Without even realizing it, I blurted out impulsively when our eyes met. ¡°Do you think I¡­ am giving these things back to you?¡± ¡°What things?¡± ¡°Just¡­ things like these. That I hold you dear, that I really like you, your kindness. Things like that.¡± My life up until now has been ordinary and unremarkable. But it¡¯s an undeniable fact that it¡¯s what made me who I am today. Unlike here, in the world where I once lived, divorce between spouses was common and children had to stand on their own once they became adults. My parents wanted that for me too. Even so, I have lived thinking that it¡¯s not bad since they supported me until college. Some people suffer abuse or are born orphans. Compared to that, my environment wasn¡¯t that bad. However, I¡¯ve never experienced unconditional love between parents and children, so I naturally thought that if I received something, I should give something similar in return. So, I feel like I should give something to Hisch as well. I really cherish him and see him as someone I should take responsibility for and live with for the rest of my life. Suddenly, I wonder if everything is really equal in his eyes. I worry that he might be disappointed and hurt by my lack of love. Even in the midst of my happiness, I keep worrying about it. At my words, Hisch stood still and looked at me. ¡°I¡¯m not doing this because I want something in return.¡± ¡°But still¡­¡± ¡°Really. I do it because I want to do it for you, not because I want to receive anything in return. I just want to see you happy¡­¡± For what reason? Part of me wanted to ask, but another part of me wanted to leave it at that. It may be a bit selfish, but I didn¡¯t want to question the reasons and just wanted to receive this man¡¯s affectionate gaze forever. Still leaning down to lock eyes with me, Hisch reached out with one hand to stroke my cheek. ¡°But if you still want to give me something in return, just say thank you like you are now.¡± He said with a smile in his eyes, looking at me as if I were a very lovely existence. ¡°Just smile while you say it.¡± As I felt the warmth on my cheek while looking into the man¡¯s eyes, a lightning bolt of realization struck me. Ah¡­ I see now. ¡°Okay¡­¡± Hisch, maybe this is what love feels like. It was as if the question that had been lingering in the back of my mind since my argument with Miller had finally found its answer. It was a feeling that had been swirling around in my heart in a vague and undefined way, but now it had taken on a clear form. I¡¯m always curious about what you¡¯re doing when I¡¯m not around. I want to do so much for you without expecting anything in return. I don¡¯t want to do things you hate, I want to cherish you, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. But without the need to explain in detail this overflowing emotion that wells up inside me when I see you with these words. Maybe it¡¯s just¡­ It¡¯s just because I love you. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± I barely managed to say that and laughed without even thinking of expressing my overflowing emotions in words. Unlike when I talked about love to him with a light heart, I found it very strange that I couldn¡¯t easily part my lips now. ¡®What¡¯s wrong? I heard someone crying and thought something terrible had happened.¡¯ On a sunny spring day, surrounded by lush trees and flowers, someone¡¯s voice suddenly descended from above his head as he sobbed. Hisch looked up with tears in his eyes as he stood before a bed of withered flowers in a well-kept garden. At first, tears blurred his vision, making it difficult to see the other person clearly. Perhaps it was because the bright sun shining behind the woman¡¯s back was creating a backlight. Hisch blinked several times, and soon realized that the woman before him was the Princess of Catlan, one of the masters of the large mansion. As Hisch hastily wiped his tears away with his sleeve, the woman of noble birth squatted down, not caring that her skirt was soiled, and pulled a handkerchief from her bosom and handed it to him. ¡®T-There¡¯s no need. Such a precious thing¡­¡¯ ¡®I can¡¯t think of a better use for this handkerchief than wiping a person¡¯s tears.¡¯ Looking back now, Liddell Catlan was a bit strange from the first time they met. In a good way, one could say that she wasn¡¯t very aristocratic. Or maybe she could be described as having no hesitation in approaching someone. The woman with beige hair gave off a cold impression when expressionless, but her turquoise eyes, which held a sparkle in them, seemed to soften the chilly atmosphere. In the end, Hisch couldn¡¯t refuse the young lady¡¯s kindness and accepted the handkerchief, pressing it against his eyes. ¡®T-Thank you¡­¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s alright. Do you mind if I ask what happened? What were you crying about¡­ It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t want to tell me.¡¯ Her tone of voice as if it was nothing [1] actually made Hisch feel better. Perhaps no matter what Hisch said, the woman would just let it slide as a servant¡¯s ramblings, or if he didn¡¯t say anything, she would say something short and then turn around and disappear. So the man stammered and opened his mouth. ¡®The flowers¡­ I was growing, died.¡¯ Just hearing the story would make one wonder if it was something to cry about. But today, Hisch was feeling down and ultimately felt frustrated that he had taken another life. He wanted to prove to himself that he could take care of something, that he could nurture life. As with everything, Hisch also had his failures, and when he did, he had to deal with emotions that were much heavier than the others. Because it was always like that. He always ruined everything. Hisch said that and bowed his head, expecting the young lady to burst into laughter soon. Perhaps she would ridicule him about why a grown man like him would cry over something like that. Or he might be scolded. After all, he had failed to fulfill the duties of a gardener, which was no different from killing the flowers. Sure enough, he could feel the other person who had been squatting close to him standing upright. Would she think he was pathetic? Or that he wasted her time listening to his trivial story? However, the voice that he heard contained none of those things. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡®¡­I-I am Hisch Riot.¡¯ ¡®Okay, Hisch. I want you to grow a big, colorful flower here.¡¯ ¡®¡­Yes?¡¯ As Hisch lifted his head at the sudden remark, Liddell, who had been looking at the dead flowers, turned her head and smiled. The sun, half-blocked by her, stained her beige hair golden as it fluttered in the wind. Caught up in the vitality that radiated from her, Hisch dazedly looked up at her. ¡®I think these will become nutrients for bigger, more beautiful flowers. What do you think?¡¯ ¡®Uh¡­¡¯ When flowers wither and become fertilizer on the ground, new sprouts would naturally emerge. The woman spoke softly, stating the obvious truth. CH 43 As if that in itself were not some sort of hopeless end as Hisch thought. But rather a consolation that is given as if it were nothing. ¡®So, for the things that have been lost, can you make them bloom even brighter? Can you do that?¡¯ Without even realizing it, Hisch nodded his head to the smiling woman. The young lady before his eyes changed Hisch¡¯s depressed heart in the blink of an eye, making his tears dry up as if it was something ridiculous. As if she herself became the sunlight that shone upon Hisch who was easily disappointed in the trivial things that he faced every day. The young lady, who was shorter than him, looked at the man who was blankly nodding his head with a handkerchief tightly clenched in one hand as if he were cute and left a brief farewell before disappearing. Hisch stood there, watching the diminishing figure of Liddell. He wanted to talk a little more. Just a little bit more about her. He wanted to know just a little more¡­ On a clear spring day, as his hair fluttered in the wind and tickled his cheeks, the gardener, one of the many servants of the mansion, thought to himself. Lately, Hisch has been having trouble sleeping. I felt a bit worried as I watched Hisch tearing apart a piece of bread with his tired eyes at breakfast. When I asked if he was having a hard time at work, he shook his head, and when I asked him if he was uncomfortable in bed or if he had any pain anywhere, he assured me that it was nothing like that. However, despite his words, Hisch¡¯s condition hasn¡¯t changed. Lately, he seemed a bit slow to react, had more absent-minded moments, and seemed to smile less than before. Even so, when our eyes met, he reflexively smiled at me like he always did, which was both lovely and heartbreaking. ¡°Is there something on my face?¡± When I asked Hisch, who was looking at me quietly today, he shook his head. ¡°Just because. I had a dream yesterday, after a really long time.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I felt like I had really summoned up the courage.¡± ¡°Courage?¡± Without saying anything, Hisch just smiled vaguely. Since he didn¡¯t seem like he was going to respond, I decided to speak up and say what I wanted to say. ¡°How about taking a little break at the mansion today? You look really tired these days.¡± After thinking for a moment, Hisch responded. ¡°Today¡­ um. There¡¯s some complaint I need to settle.¡± ¡°Hisch¡­¡± ¡°But I¡¯ll be back early today.¡± As I worriedly called out his name, Hisch quickly made an excuse. He¡¯s really diligent in his work, which is good, and I appreciate it. But lately, Hisch seems to be busier than even me, the lord. ¡°If there¡¯s anything I can do to help, just let me know.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°And don¡¯t push yourself too hard. It makes me sad to see you struggling so much these days. Just make sure you get some rest every now and then, even if it¡¯s just for my sake. Got it?¡± Hisch smiled happily at my words. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡®¡­ You¡¯re really good at answering.¡¯ Even with that thought, I kept my mouth shut. I didn¡¯t want to pry too much, so I asked Albert and Sein if they thought Hisch was pushing himself too hard, but neither of them had any suspicions. But even if Albert doesn¡¯t know, Sein should have some idea about it. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± But since Hisch himself didn¡¯t say anything, can I really pry into why he¡¯s not telling me, just because I¡¯m worried? Train of thought raced through my head, but I couldn¡¯t come up with an answer. I gave my vassal a sullen glance, as if taking out my anger, and continued to eat. A wide plain spread outside the castle walls, and fluffy white clouds floated in the blue sky above. Underneath the walls, soldiers armed with weapons and dressed in sparkling armor stood in formation. I felt strange. When I first arrived here not long ago, we were attacked by goblins, and the only ones defending us were those who could shoot a few arrows weakly¡­ In the distance, I could hear the faint sound of a horn heralding the procession of the territorial army. Looking down at them on such a sunny day like this, it seemed like a perfect day for a sports day even though it didn¡¯t quite match the situation. Behind me on my left stood Sein and to my right, Sir Ted, while Sir Jane and Sir Bethel, whom I haven¡¯t seen in a long time, stood solemnly in front of the soldiers with serious expressions. I leaned over to the right and asked the brown-haired knight, who was looking down in silence. ¡°Don¡¯t you have to go down?¡± The knight replied briefly. ¡°Serving my master is my top priority.¡± Still inflexible as ever. I turned my head as the sound of the soldiers¡¯ roaring voices faded away in an instant. ¡°Hail to the Great Lord of Ensis!¡± Sir Bethel exclaimed in a voice that seemed to be drawn from the tip of his toes to his vocal cords. Behind him, Sir Jane stared unwaveringly at him. Boom boom boom. What kind of military band was this? There were percussive sounds everywhere that seemed to forcibly draw out some instinctive stirring of the heart. Still, it feels proud to see them like this. The territorial army had a plan to continue to increase their numbers in the future. They would train their current soldiers to recruit new ones, who would then train their seniors, who would then train their juniors¡­ This cycle would be closely monitored to ensure that it was established. Not only from a military perspective, but various parts of the territory were also expected to be developed. Once the name of Ensis had been raised to prominence, knights would gather here. ¡°Let¡¯s show our achievements so far! Our loyalty! To our master!¡± The reverberating shouts were deafening for a moment. I realized that I was indeed in a fantasy world. When Sein asked if I could at least wave my hand, I awkwardly raised it, and soon, the subsiding shouts rang out again. Hmm¡­ There is a thrilling aspect to this. Is this what it¡¯s like to be in power? However, when I think that these people who are blindly cheering at me depend on my orders for their lives¡­ As expected, regardless of power or anything else, I feel like I just want to live quietly. Today was not only an event to check the soldiers who had been trained until now and boost their morale, but also an important day to demonstrate the recently introduced magic cannon to the territory. The quite expensive magic cannon, which had been imported at a high cost, had an explosive magic on its shells, and its projectiles were much lighter, giving it excellent performance in hitting airborne enemies. ¡°Well then, we will now have a demonstration of the new weapon that will further raise the stature of our territory, the magic cannon.¡± Sir Jane looked back at me as he spoke, and I nodded silently. I knew it had been imported, but today would be my first time seeing it in action. Sir Oswald stood in front of what looked like a cannon in the distance. He raised the torch high into the sky, stunned by the sudden focus on him. ¡°For Ensis!¡± He lit the wick, and in an instant, Sir Oswald startlingly began to hastily load the shells. Wait, what is this¡­ With a scream of ¡°Aah!¡±, multiple shells that were probably supposed to be loaded one at a time, rolled into the cannon and soon went off like fireworks, shooting into the sky with a spectacular explosion. The sight of clueless soldiers screaming ¡°Waaaaah!¡± was quite amusing. I stifled a laugh, however, as a ferocious aura was already emanating from the backs of Sir Jane and Sir Bethel, who were watching the spectacle. ¡°This is¡­ the first time it¡¯s being introduced, so the instructions are still unclear¡­ right?¡± As I had barely said that, Sir Ted, who had been looking at it in silence beside me, said in a low voice. ¡°I will correct it.¡± I will correct¡­ Sir Oswald. Actually, I felt like I should be scolding him, but since there were already three angry knights, I decided to leave the discipline to them and pray for Sir Oswald¡¯s well-being. Soon, under the command of Sir Jane and Sir Bethel, the soldiers changed their formation in an orderly manner according to their units and also adjusted their lines. While pondering whether to treat the soldiers to some drinks after this event to foster camaraderie¡­ similar to what a CEO might do at a company dinner. Albert suddenly rushed over to Sein and whispered something in his ear, and Sein, who had heard the story, bent down and said in my ear. ¡°An urgent message has arrived from Duke Catlan.¡± My father? I looked puzzled for a moment, but soon nodded, and after telling Sir Ted that I would be away for a moment, I rose to my feet. Sitting in front of the video sphere, I waited for a moment and soon a flash of light came on and the image of a middle-aged man was seen in front of me. The man, who had been talking to the person next to him for a few moments, with a nonchalant but cold look in his eyes, turned around and smiled faintly when he realized that the video sphere was on. [Liddell. Have you been doing well?] ¡°Yes, Father¡­ It¡¯s been a long time.¡± CH 44 As I spoke, Duke Catlan grumbled as if he had been waiting. I listened to him while smiling and trying to calm him down. I always feel sorry for him and want to treat him well. However, since I never lived with my real parents in the past and I¡¯m too sorry for the real ¡®Liddell Catlan¡¯ to get too close to them, I couldn¡¯t take care of him properly. After a few moments of asking each other how the other was doing, my father soon closed his mouth as if he was getting to the point and looked at me quietly before opening his mouth. [The reason I¡¯m contacting you this time, Liddell, is to let you know in advance that an investigator will be dispatched to your territory soon.] ¡°An investigator?¡± My father nodded. [The royal family is conducting a number of investigations to try to overcome the current situation, and I¡¯m told that your territory has had an unusually low number of monster attacks lately. We want to find out the reason for this difference.] ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It had finally come. That thought suddenly occurred to me. No, maybe it was fortunate that I was able to buy time until now. ¡°¡­Who is the investigator? Has it already been decided?¡± [I heard it is Sir Roelich who is coming¡­ He¡¯s probably coming to see his younger brother as well as do some work.] There was someone in my territory who also used the Roelich surname, but it was easy to guess that the person my father was talking about was Sir Ted¡¯s older brother. Edwin Roelich. He was a young knight who could be considered a leading figure in the kingdom and appeared as a sub-male lead in . I calmed my mind and opened my mouth, knowing I should tell the man, who had a relaxed attitude, the news first. ¡°Father, I have something to tell you. Sir Roelich¡­ I don¡¯t think someone of his stature is coming to our territory for a simple reason like seeing Sir Ted.¡± [Then, what is it?] My father, who asked me with a puzzled expression, looked at me and became serious. [It seems like there is a reason for you to suspect something.] ¡°¡­It¡¯s a long story, but to put it simply, it¡¯s probably because of Hisch.¡± [Your husband?] ¡°Hisch is¡­ I found out about it not long ago. He has an ability. Similar to us¡­¡± [¡­similar to us?] My father, understanding my meaning at once, repeated it, and then said, ¡®Him?¡¯ with a look of disbelief on his face. I nodded. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s¡­ not an extraordinary or remarkable power.¡± Since my loyal vassal had prepared a report mixed with lies in a cunning manner, I was able to match his rhythm. My father frowned for a moment at my words, then shook his head. [It¡¯s not historically rare for an unrecognized ability user to appear. But why him of all people? Huh¡­] ¡°I know. I was so surprised when I found out too.¡± [When did you find out?] ¡°When my territory was attacked¡­ That¡¯s when I found out.¡± At my words, my father fell silent for a moment, deep in thought. Perhaps he may have been thinking about my arrival in the capital shortly thereafter when I locked myself in the study of the mansion claiming I needed to figure out something. My father looked at me with a slightly despondent look. [¡­Couldn¡¯t you have told me a little earlier?] ¡°I didn¡¯t have the opportunity. And both Hisch and I¡­ needed time.¡± [¡­¡­] Although he looked doubtful at my words, there was something else we needed to worry about right now. The man in front of me seemed to know that as he shook his head once and spoke again. [Did you have any plans not to report it directly to the royal family?] At the question, which seemed to imply I was hiding something, I shook my head. ¡°With Sein¡¯s help, we investigated Hisch¡¯s abilities, and we¡¯ve just finished a report that¡¯s at least partially complete. I didn¡¯t intend to hide it, but the royal family found out before we could report it.¡± As I have mentioned, I never intended to hide it. I was just waiting for this to be discovered as late as possible, and for the situation to start rolling. I figured that even if I voluntarily reported about Hisch, the same thing would happen anyway. [We still don¡¯t know about that. Does the royal family know that your husband has such abilities? This might just be a simple dispatch investigation.] ¡°Actually, there is a witness.¡± [Who?] ¡°Miller Firenze.¡± My father turned silent at my words. ¡°On the day my territory was attacked, he was there, right at the spot where Hisch used his powers.¡± [I¡¯ve never heard of young master Firenze making an official report like that.] ¡°He probably didn¡¯t submit a formal document. Since there¡¯s no evidence or proof.¡± [Do you think he just leaked the information? And that is why the royal family is trying to verify it?] I nodded. Of course, I did ask Miller that day if he could keep this a secret for the time being. But even then, I hadn¡¯t expected him to keep it a secret forever. My father looked at me with a strange expression when he saw my resolute face. [Liddell, dear. Miller¡­ Firenze was a man who was engaged to you for a long time. Would he really have talked about your affairs like that?] ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know¡­ Miller might have said something, or he might not have. But it¡¯s safe to assume that he did and prepare for the situation.¡± I suddenly remembered that blonde man. And those eyes of his that had looked at me so naively. My father had mentioned our long-standing engagement, but from my perspective as a transmigrated person, there was little emotional exchange between Miller and me that could have earned my trust. Of course, he had an innocent side to him. However, I knew that even the most innocent of men keep some ulterior motives hidden in their hearts. ¡°And it¡¯s that Firenze. He wouldn¡¯t keep something like this from the royal family.¡± [¡­¡­.] My father closed his mouth, seemingly agreeing with my added comment, but he still let out a sigh nonetheless. [Why do I feel a little sorry for young master Firenze?] ¡°¡­Why?¡± Why, really? As far as I can tell from our history, I wonder how much Miller really believed when I was just his political fianc¨¦e. As I looked at my father with a bewildered expression, he tried to change the subject and said. [¡­ In any case, Liddell. Since we¡¯re not exactly sure why Sir Roelich is heading to your territory, why don¡¯t you just observe the situation without being rash?] My eyes grew wider at his words. ¡®That¡¯ Duke Catlan. I thought he would suggest reporting to the royal family right away or explaining the situation to Sir Roelich, who would be dispatched. [You seem intent on delaying this matter as much as possible.] My father added in response to my reaction. Did he notice? I sighed, cupping my cheek with one hand. ¡°¡­Father. If it¡¯s revealed that Hisch has the same ability as us, the Magic Tower won¡¯t just sit still.¡± [He is now a Catlan. The situation won¡¯t be as extreme as you think it will be¡­] My father stopped talking, maybe realizing something. I¡¯m not sure why he trailed off, but I continued to speak without hesitation. ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll try to do anything with Hisch right away. But on the other hand, I¡¯m not sure. You saw for yourself not long ago how they treated me, a noblewoman.¡± [¡­¡­.] When I mentioned the magician who left me for dead after overusing my ability, my father¡¯s expression darkened. In a low voice filled with anger, he said, [¡­I understand your feelings, but things are different now than they were then, Liddell. If they try to face us, Catlan, head-on, they won¡¯t be able to take anything. No matter what they want. Never.] With a demeanor befitting the head of a noble family, my father spoke calmly and solemnly, and I trusted him, but¡­ Seeing my still dark expression, my father sighed and said. [Everything is uncertain right now, so all we can do is speculate. Just do as I say for now. The worst that could happen is that you¡¯ll have to hand in the report you¡¯ve already prepared.] ¡°I understand. Thank you for your advice, father. And¡­ thank you for standing by my side and helping me think through various measures.¡± Who is the man in front of me? He was the head of Catlan, one of the few dukes in the kingdom, and is known for his loyalty to the royal family. He had put aside his loyalty to the royal family and put me first to come up with various measures. At my words, he coughed a few times, and then curtly opened his mouth. [Why, do you plan on not taking my side when something like this happens in the future?] Trying to lighten the tense atmosphere, I made an idle remark. ¡°Oh, no, of course not.¡± [ It''s fine between families [1] .] ¡°¡­¡­.¡± [Everything is fine between us.] At that, I paused for a moment with a smile and then said, ¡°Of course, we¡¯re family after all.¡± CH 45 Duke Catlan looked at me affectionately. Feeling a bit embarrassed, I turned to him and asked, ¡®It seems like someone has been calling from the side for a while now. Is everything okay?¡¯ My father glanced sideways with a displeased expression before cutting off the communication, saying he would contact again. As I sat there staring at the darkened communication device with a strange sense of powerlessness, I took a deep breath and stood up from my seat. I could feel various situations gradually closing in on me, but it wasn¡¯t the kind of situation that would be resolved by sitting still and doing nothing. Whatever it was, now is the time to act. The man always feared his own power. For example, he could make someone he disliked disappear from the world if he wanted to, and he had actually done it before. You may wonder why he did it. But no matter how vaguely it¡¯s described, he still killed someone. You might have expected him to have some great reason. For instance, he might have avenged his family who were killed. Or maybe he simply dealt with a brute who attacked him. Anyway, he was a nobleman. In this world, murder was tolerated for just that reason. The age when Hisch Riot first became aware of his ability was only ten years old. It was when he saw his older brother being beaten by a boy his own age. ¡®What makes you a noble? You¡¯re poorer than our family!¡¯ In Hisch¡¯s eyes, he saw his brother getting punched in the stomach, bleeding from the nose, and looking at the ground with a blank expression. He could also see a shadow with a hand raised high above him. If only he¡¯d simply pushed that shadow away. So if Hisch¡¯s parents had come running to his cries, and the socially mandated corporal punishment had been administered, the incident might have merely strengthened their family bond. But Hisch pushed the boy who was harming his brother, and the boy couldn¡¯t even say a word. ¡®Hisch.¡¯ Through the swirling ash flying away, he met the wide-open eyes that seemed to still hold the posture of being pushed away. Hisch¡¯s family was in shock. The boy who disappeared was simply treated as missing. ¡®That bastard is the culprit who killed my son!¡¯ The image of the mother of the boy who disappeared into ashes, screaming at his older brother with a voice full of despair, still lingered in Hisch¡¯s mind. But with virtually no evidence and no witnesses, the case was eventually closed. Hisch never faced any criticism for what he had done. His family could not bring themselves to accuse their young son. His parents, devastated that their son had killed a man, tried to deny the reality of what had happened by pretending it never happened. Hisch¡¯s older brother, whom he had saved, hugged him and shed tears. ¡®I¡¯m sorry that I had to show you such a terrifying sight, that you had no choice but to act the way you did.¡¯ Hugging the much smaller Hisch, his brother buried his face in his shoulder and whispered. Feeling the warmth, Hisch suddenly felt an indescribable chill seeping deep into his heart. It was true. In that moment, Hisch realized that even the warmth he was feeling in the embrace could disappear if he wanted it to. Furthermore, Hisch still couldn¡¯t believe that he had actually killed that boy. To begin with¡­ it didn¡¯t take any effort to ¡®kill¡¯ him. If he had felt any sensation that made him think he had killed someone, it would have been different. Everything was frightening and unsettling. Sometimes, cries could be heard in the master bedroom. Hisch listened to his mother crying and reciting his name outside the door and his father¡¯s voice comforting her. His older brother, who had a kind of indebtedness towards Hisch, made efforts to turn him into an upright person to the point of being somewhat intimidating. Perhaps it was not an exaggeration to say that he educated Hisch on behalf of their parents. However, amidst all these situations, no one, absolutely no one, was there to scold the frightened young Hisch for what he had done and urge him to move forward. No one blamed him, but conversely, everyone was turning their backs on him. And Hisch had a feeling that no one would ever understand him for the rest of his life. When even the relationship between him and his family, who could have been happy if it weren¡¯t for him, became strange, Hisch left home alone. He thought that if it weren¡¯t for him, his family would have been happy and would find their place now. On the way out, Hisch left a letter and for some reason, tears came out. No matter how hard he tried to be composed, no matter how hard he tried to be indifferent, he just couldn¡¯t. Tears fell from his eyes miserably. He wanted someone to understand him. He hoped that someone else would know this fear. But who? Who on earth¡­ Maybe it was arrogant to even think about it. He was a murderer. He deserved to be punished, but he managed to live on without facing the consequences. It was fortunate that he did not harm anyone else. Hisch thought so while holding back his overflowing tears. He was different from other people. So, once again. Don¡¯t hurt someone or make them disappear without realizing it. Let¡¯s just live alone and quietly. I will spend my life repenting to the people I¡¯ve hurt and trying not to hurt others the same way. But then. But then¡­ Hisch Riot stared blankly at the ash slipping through his fingers, as if crumbling a sandcastle, making his commitment of that day meaningless. The eerie feeling never seemed to go away, no matter how much time passed. As he looked closer, he realized his fingertips were trembling without his knowledge. Hisch clenched his hand tightly, and looked up and surveyed his surroundings. The area was covered in a layer of gray ashes. At first, the sight of it all was disgusting and scary, but as he killed off more of these things, he became more and more numb to it. After all, humans eat things that have life in them too. Like animals and fish. He thought of these things as similar and gradually became more indifferent to them. No, was he really indifferent? ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Suddenly, he heard a low sobbing sound from somewhere. It sounded like a child¡¯s cry, and Hisch was startled into action, thoroughly searching through the bushes. It wasn¡¯t long before he spotted a crouching child. The child was shaking and looking up at him, clearly frightened. ¡°¡­Are you okay?¡± The man reached out his hand and spoke softly, but the child was startled and avoided his touch. Hisch wondered if the child was frightened because of the monsters or because of the unfamiliar adult man. ¡­Or maybe because he saw him using his ability and felt scared. He had made several guesses, but he thought it wouldn¡¯t really matter even if he found out the real reason. ¡°Uwaaaah!¡± Almost as if on cue, Hisch saw the child fleeing in the opposite direction of him, running with all his might as if he would die. Hisch thought in haste without even bothering to retract his outstretched hand. His knee was grazed. ¡°If you don¡¯t treat the wound, it¡¯ll get infected¡­¡± Ignoring Hisch¡¯s feeble voice, the child disappeared in a flash. The man, who had been watching the scene quietly, turned around and accepted it. In fact, there were no monsters. Hisch silently clasped his hand. But now there was a reason he could not back down. Liddell had once expressed that he had chosen the person she needed the most, and had referred to marriage to him in that way. Of course, he didn¡¯t think that Liddell had chosen him only with that in mind. He knew that Liddell would look at him and smile, as if she saw something lovely. But even so, he was vaguely aware that the marriage was not solely based on her love for him. And¡­ ¡®¡­Hisch. I felt like I saw the whole of my life when I married Hisch.¡¯ ¡®So maybe it wasn¡¯t a choice, it was inevitable. That¡¯s how I see it.¡¯ ¡­ And just like that, he wanted to be helpful to Liddell, leaving everything else behind. He wanted to be some kind of strength to her who held the hand of a man who had nothing. So, even if it¡¯s something like this. Even if it¡¯s something like this, I don¡¯t mind doing this¡­ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He was really scared, frightened. But despite that, Hisch Riot opened his eyes, still and calm, the tremor on his hands subsided. His pupils had turned surprisingly tranquil, gleaming with a deep black color. After receiving a call from my father, as if on cue, a letter arrived from the palace. Not long after that, Edwin Roelich came to my territory. As soon as he arrived, one of the mansion¡¯s employees took Edwin¡¯s horse, which had been neighing continuously, to the stable. Next to me, the Roelich brothers, who had met for the first time in a while, chatted. Edwin was dressed simply, but his expression was so full of vitality that one could not believe he had just arrived on horseback. His chocolate-colored hair, a shade lighter than his younger brother¡¯s, seemed to sparkle in the sunlight. Looking at his soft, curved eyes and sharp, prominent nose, I couldn¡¯t help but think that he had the appearance that could fight with the male lead for the female lead. He¡¯s so handsome that it makes me want to curse every time I see him. CH 46 Ted also had quite a good look, but his brother seemed to exude a different kind of atmosphere, as if he were on a different level. The younger brother opened his mouth curtly, and the older brother affectionately patted him on the shoulder. Ted made a slightly disgruntled expression at his brother¡¯s actions, but eventually broke into a smile. Watching them from a distance, I couldn¡¯t help but think that there was something special about being brothers. In fact, Sir Ted had mixed feelings about his brother. He had always admired and respected his brother, but he also had a feeling of inferiority towards him. As far as I was concerned, they were both great knights. And when he was in the capital, Sir Ted used to be very troubled, not knowing what to do with that inferiority complex. It was a relief to see him so comfortable with his brother now, perhaps thanks to some realization or event that helped him ease his mind. If that was the case, then it was a blessing. I kept my distance, not wanting to interrupt the brothers¡¯ small talk, but when the conversation seemed to be coming to a close, I stepped closer. ¡°Welcome to Ensis, Sir Roelich.¡± Edwin had already completed his succession as Count of Roelich, but he had been dispatched here as the first Knight Commander of the Royal Family, so it was only fitting to treat him as a knight. Edwin, looking fondly upon his younger brother, soon turned his head towards me and courteously bowed his head. ¡°Greetings to the Lord of Ensis.¡± I looked at him as if he was a handsome man I saw on a street saying, ¡®Wow, what a beautiful face.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m grateful for the warm welcome, knowing that my sudden visit may have surprised you.¡± ¡°How could we neglect someone who is under the command of the royal family?¡± Edwin responded with a handsome smile to my words. ¡°I personally express my deepest gratitude to you, my Lord.¡± ¡°Have I done anything to earn your gratitude, Sir Roelich? If so, I am humbled.¡± ¡°Did you not take in my lacking younger brother?¡± At those words, Sir Ted, who stood like a shadow beside me, bowed his head in response. I looked at Sir Ted in the distance, then turned to Edwin. Then he smiled shyly and spoke. ¡°The whole family were all surprised when Teddius first said he would follow you, my Lord, but no one could prevent him from doing so.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I was very worried but seeing him fulfilling his duty as a noble knight, I am deeply moved.¡± He was an older brother who loved his younger brother very much. Seeing him speak so benevolently from such a position, I faintly smiled without knowing it. ¡°Looking at Sir Roelich, anyone would think that you raised your younger brother with great care,¡± Edwin responded to my mixed words of subtle laughter as if it were just a common joke, with no embarrassment. ¡°I just keep him in a corner of my heart [1] because of the significant age difference between us.¡± ¡°¡­. Sir Roelich, I understand how you feel, but¡­¡± I had very few occasions to talk to Edwin Roelich. That¡¯s because he was always a knight who fought on the front lines with a sword, and me, well, me. I was nothing more than an assistant overseeing them from behind the scenes, so there wasn¡¯t much opportunity to meet him in person. So when I met Sir Ted and learned that he had a deep-rooted inferiority complex towards his older brother, I wondered if it was purely because of differences in objective skills. But now that I¡¯ve met his brother directly¡­ I felt like I had realized a lot of things that hadn¡¯t been explained to me. ¡°To do one¡¯s duty¡­ Honestly, I don¡¯t find that pleasant. The only person who can evaluate my knight is me.¡± Edwin¡¯s eyes widened at my words. I smiled at him as if it was a joke, but then opened my mouth firmly. ¡°Sir Teddius is an excellent knight who is too good for me. He¡¯s an invaluable knight who serves me perhaps more than any other knight in this country.¡± Including you. The kind brown-haired knight, who made a good impression, blinked his eyes as if he understood the meaning of my words. So let¡¯s stop talking down about your perfectly fine younger brother and talk about what we need to discuss. That was my intention, but suddenly Edwin smiled faintly and said this. ¡°I apologize if I have come across as presumptuous.¡± He bowed his head to apologize, but then looked up with a mischievous grin. ¡°¡­ My brother has a good master.¡± No, it¡¯s not me, it¡¯s your brother who¡¯s a good knight. I was about to say something more, but Sir Ted, who had been listening to our conversation in silence, spoke up instead. ¡°I will someday become a great knight who surpasses my brother and be a knight that is worthy of my master.¡± With firm determination and passion, he made his vow, and his brother patted his shoulder with a broad smile. ¡°Yeah, keep striving for it.¡± ¡­And there I was, standing awkwardly between the two physically-oriented knights. I¡¯m not sure where this atmosphere came from during our conversation just a moment ago. Taking advantage of the end of the conversation, I glanced at Sir Ted. I don¡¯t know why it has come to that atmosphere, but looking at his face, which was now much livelier than before, if my knight has regained his confidence, then that¡¯s all that matters. Afterwards, we moved to the office and decided to listen to Sir Edwin¡¯s business over a cup of tea. The young and uptight knight in front of me did not open his tightly closed mouth until my vassal had placed a steaming cup of tea before him. I lifted my share of the teacup that was placed first and looked at the man in front of me again. This man was certainly one of the characters I had seen most often when I was a reader of . However, I had never had any contact with the main characters of the work and had only exchanged a few public greetings with the man in front of me. No matter how big a role a character plays in a work, they ultimately don¡¯t take up a significant portion of someone¡¯s life. As I sipped my tea, Sir Edwin, who had followed my lead and quietly set his cup down after taking a sip, soon spoke in a serious tone. ¡°I humbly presume that the Lord must be curious as to the reason why I am visiting Ensis.¡± With that, the man who started the conversation began to tell a rather predictable story. Recently, wizards from neighboring countries had united to investigate the mysterious phenomena and had discovered a specific flow of mana. And that they suspected that there might be some group with ill intent behind the phenomenon. Well, it was a story that was convincing enough, even though it was hard to fully understand. After all, it was not uncommon to see in novels a villain who seeks to destroy the world. Forgetting the fact that they will also be doomed if the world is destroyed¡­ ¡°Therefore, the royal family formed an organization to uncover the background of the mysterious phenomenon for the peace of the kingdom.¡± It was the same organization that appeared just before the ending of . That¡¯s what my intuition tells me. The man soon declared in a solemn voice. ¡°The name of the organization is World Peace Committee.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± No, what am I supposed to do if you just throw out an old-fashioned name and just stare at me? I looked at Sein, hoping to break the ice, but the gray-haired man merely stood wordlessly and solemnly beside me like an ornament. You just don¡¯t want to get involved, do you? ¡°Hmm¡­ the name is really¡­ how should I put it, intuitive.¡± ¡°The prince himself named it.¡± ¡°Sure enough! No wonder it made perfect sense.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sein, who had just been standing upright, couldn¡¯t stand my tallulah [2] talk and turned his head to stare at me. What. What do you expect me to say? ¡°As expected, you are of the Catlan bloodline.¡± Sir Edwin said with a hint of laughter in his voice. My family¡¯s reaction to the person who named that old-fashioned name was as predictable as the sun rising and setting, so I just decided to put on a shameless expression. ¡°Back to the main point, the committee is currently investigating the difference between areas with large and small damage after the mysterious phenomenon occurred.¡± I could already guess even without hearing the whole story. I tried not to let my dignified face crumble under the mounting sense of crisis. ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a particularly special thing.¡± The man smiled. ¡°I came to find out the secret of the peace in Ensis.¡± My conversation with Sir Edwin ended earlier than expected. Fortunately, the story he told was not much different from what I had heard from my father. He didn¡¯t even mention Hisch at all, which made me wonder if he really had just come to visit less damaged territories. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sein cleared the teacups with a clattering sound beside me. Sir Edwin had left first after asking permission to take a look around the territory. I looked out the wide window toward the garden with my chin resting on my hand and spoke up. ¡°After listening to what Sir Edwin said just now, do you have anything in mind, Sein?¡± My overly peaceful territory. Hisch, who had been going out frequently lately, and his unusually tired appearance. And Sein, who often accompanied him, was unlike his usual. My vassal, who, with fervent eyes, wanted to utilize Hisch¡¯s ability. The gray-haired man, upon hearing my question, looked at me with a puzzled expression. I narrowed my eyes and asked again. ¡°The monsters in the territory. You¡¯re not using Hisch to scheme something, are you?¡± CH 47 ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The man¡¯s movements abruptly halted. Sein¡¯s mouth fell open in response to my words and he looked at me. What¡­ What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s with that reaction? I straightened my posture instantly, feeling a strange vibe in the air. ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You mean me? Are you asking if I am currently scheming something in the territory using Mr. Hisch¡¯s abilities?¡± He pointed at himself with his eyes widened, a reaction of someone who feels wronged and wants to leave. As I flinched at his momentum, Sein let out a deep sigh. ¡°Didn¡¯t the Lord herself command not to use Mr. Hisch¡¯s abilities in the first place? Are you saying that I am directly violating that order?¡± ¡°No¡­ rather than that.¡± It was a conclusion I had reached after some thought. What I knew of the situation indicated that Hisch was contributing to the peace of the territory. But there was no way a man who had never encountered monsters in his life would voluntarily participate in such a task. So, I had been thinking about who was pushing him into it. But I never expected this kind of reaction¡­ ¡°It is inconceivable that you would view me as someone disloyal. No, how could I possibly blame you, my Lord? This is all due to my lack of capabilities, and my inability to gain your trust.¡± Wow, he sure took it to heart. Sein pretended to wipe away tears from his eyes with his sleeves and muttered sadly. Feeling like it was the right moment, I quickly spoke up to prevent Sein from continuing his self-deprecation and turning on me. ¡°No, sorry. Really sorry. I think I misunderstood something¡­ As you know, Hisch has been going out a lot lately.¡± ¡°Phew¡­.¡± ¡°And because Ensis is more peaceful than the other territories. That¡¯s why. And you¡­ suddenly became interested in Hisch. So¡­¡± ¡°I only accompanied Mr. Hisch because he asked me to teach him how to use various artifacts, to prevent others seeing him use his ability.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I see. To prevent others from seeing him¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­you bastard, you knew something, didn¡¯t you?¡± Sein, who had a forlorn expression until just now, quickly turned expressionless and lowered his head. ¡°I apologize for not reporting it earlier.¡± ¡°Hey! What¡¯s with this change of attitude! How is this different from lying!¡± ¡°I never lied to the Lord.¡± ¡°Anyway, you deceived me!¡± As loyal as Sein Borter was to me, he was also overprotective, and when he thought it was in my best interest, he often acted on his own and let it slip by without reporting it. Although he had never blatantly disobeyed an order, it was still absurdly ridiculous. ¡°If you felt that way, I deeply apologize. However, to be precise, I only offered help.¡± Sein spoke shamelessly. Look at him, retorting back like that. ¡°¡­. So, you¡¯re saying that Hisch acted of his own volition?¡± That was surprising on its own. Just as I thought that, Sein spoke up. ¡°Above all, I thought you were aware of it and were just turning a blind eye, my Lord.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± When experts such as wizards and magic engineers were asked why Ensis was more peaceful than the other territories, or what made it special, they all shrugged their shoulders. It occurred to me that perhaps Hisch and my vassal might be involved in this matter. Still, despite what Sein said, I obviously did not know what exactly they were up to. I ruffled my hair and said in disbelief. ¡°I¡­ How could I know all of that? Even if I vaguely sensed something. And do I look like someone who has a delusion of infidelity to know all of Hisch¡¯s schedule inside out?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant¡­ You always observe your situation carefully and act accordingly, so I thought¡­¡± ¡°¡­Sein. As much as you think I am¡­ I¡¯m not such¡­ a competent person.¡± I sighed. ¡°I¡¯m just doing the best I can.¡± If the female protagonists of the transmigration novels I read in the old days were real, would they have seen through my vassal¡¯s and husband¡¯s deceitful behavior right away and confidently laughed at it? Well¡­ maybe. But I was just a simple ordinary person struggling to adapt to this world where my common sense and knowledge were completely useless. However, true to the nature of a Borter family, Sein, as always, looked at me with a face that seemed unable to understand or accept. Fantasy is fantasy, and reality is reality. ¡°Eh, whatever¡­ That¡¯s not what we¡¯re talking about.¡± I said, burying myself on the sofa. ¡°What you¡¯re saying is¡­¡­. I should ask Hisch about this, right?¡± ¡°Yes, since I don¡¯t know all the details either.¡± As I wondered why that timid man had taken such a dangerous action, my heart trembled with anxiety. ¡°¡­ Did Hisch specifically tell you not to say anything to me?¡± At my words, Sein pursed his lips as if he had heard something similar before. Seeing his reaction, I could roughly guess the situation. Perhaps the man in front of me didn¡¯t report to me because he considered various possibilities. A calculation of what Hisch was doing would ultimately help me. And that if he was ever called to account, he could use the excuse that Hisch asked him to keep it a secret. ¡°¡­ If the same situation arises in the future, should I make reporting to you the top priority, my Lord?¡± If I said yes, Sein would definitely obey my order. But I shook my head. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t want to blame you for not telling me. Of course, Hisch¡¯s orders should be followed. But¡­¡± I ran my hand over my face and continued to speak. ¡°Don¡¯t try to use Hisch for my sake. ¡­He has become too important to me for that.¡± Even if I said this, I knew that Sein would always lean towards me when weighing Hisch and me. At my words, Sein simply bowed his head in silence. ¡°I will keep that in mind.¡± Despite the lack of any objections, this remark may not be entirely meaningless, because it is already better for Sein to reconsider his judgment at least once. I sprang to my feet. Now that I have a grasp of it, it became clear what I needed to do. Sein, who had finished clearing the teacups, stood beside me and asked. ¡°Shall I cancel tomorrow¡¯s schedule?¡± ¡°Yeah. We couple should have a deep conversation tomorrow. For doing such a dangerous thing without telling me.¡± I spoke as if I were pronouncing a serious matter. ¡°And since the weather is hot¡­ we should go on the water.¡± Once, when I was talking with Sein about Hisch¡¯s ability, I said something like this: ¡°I¡¯m not going to tell Hisch to do this. If Hisch wants to use it, he can. If not, he doesn¡¯t have to.¡± Looking back now, I feel like I talked as if it were someone else¡¯s business. In fact, my thoughts hadn¡¯t changed that much even now. Just as I couldn¡¯t change the trajectory of my life in one moment, it was difficult to change my attitude towards life that I had maintained until now. I was originally the type to maintain a minimum distance from others in any relationship. Because I needed my personal space that no one would intrude upon. So, thinking that other people would be like me and out of consideration for Hisch, I said that. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I often recalled the scene from that night. The small garden that was still growing secretly in one corner of the garden. The small secret between Hisch and me that was brought by my unbelievable past. And the exhilarating realization, emotions, and heartbeat that he gave me that day. Sensations I would never have experienced if I had been as distant as I was. ¡°Hisch.¡± Quietly, I said to the man as we moved across the lake, leaving only ripples in our wake. ¡°Your biceps look great.¡± Hisch was rowing the boat with his sleeves rolled up. I already thought he had muscles just from his everyday life, but his arms looked particularly cool as his tendons stood out in his forearm when he rowed with force. I¡¯m not blinded by love. If Sein was next to me, he would look at me in disgust again. Today, both Hisch and I left the affairs of the territory to my loyal adjutant and went out for a walk. Not far away, a group of servants were waiting quietly, and a knight with brown hair stood near the edge of the water, watching us with hawk eyes. If we were to be attacked by a monster in the middle of this lake, would Sir Ted be able to fly this far in one jump? I¡¯ve read my fair share of fantasy novels, but I have to admit I¡¯ve wondered if a real person could do that. Anyway, Hisch blushed at my praise and mumbled a thank you. What is there to be thankful for? I chuckled and turned my head. ¡°Shall we go further?¡± ¡°Won¡¯t it be hard on the way back?¡± At my words, Hisch replied with a determined expression. ¡°I can do it.¡± Even though there was no need to make an effort in this place, I thought it was a cute bluff, so I answered with a smile, ¡°Let¡¯s go on an adventure then.¡± CH 48 The boat cut through the waves at a leisurely pace. Before long, we were far enough away that the figures of the people on the shore were blurred. Perhaps because it was a lake surrounded by a shallow forest, the area nearby was quiet, and you could occasionally hear the buzzing of insects. Other than that, the sound of Hisch¡¯s paddling, the churning of the water, and the creaking of the boat, nothing else disturbed the peacefulness. It was as if we were the only ones in this tranquil space. How romantic¡­ Thinking so, I turned to Hish, who was rowing diligently. ¡°Do you remember what Sir Roelich said to us yesterday? We had dinner together, remember?¡± Hisch nodded, but he seemed a bit dejected. ¡°He was really good-looking¡­¡± It seems that even men think a man is good-looking when they see someone with that level of appearance. Yeah, that guy was handsome. I nodded in agreement, but for some reason, Hisch lowered his head, looking even more sullen. Ah! Ah. I realized belatedly how he might feel and quickly added. This is one of those moments when you say the wrong thing and you¡¯re screwed. A cold sweat ran down my spine as a lightning bolt of realization hit me. ¡°¡­But personally, I don¡¯t¡­ find that kind of person all that appealing.¡± The black-haired man glanced up at me as I barely managed to maneuver my words in a roundabout way. ¡°I mean, I like someone who¡¯s¡­ you know. He needs to be loveable. It¡¯s not just about being handsome. Even if someone is very good-looking, it doesn¡¯t necessarily mean I¡¯ll like them. It¡¯s all about personal taste.¡± To be honest, a man with that kind of appearance couldn¡¯t simply be categorized by taste. As I added that, Hisch, who must have realized my futile efforts, soon relaxed his expression and gave a small laugh. At the same time as I was glad that Hisch was feeling better, I couldn¡¯t help but laugh at myself. But as I thought about what I was going to say next, a small cough escaped me. ¡°By the way, why did that person come to our territory as an investigator¡­ I have a suspicion. I think it has something to do with you.¡± Yesterday, I hadn¡¯t bothered to tell Hisch why Sir Edwin had come here in the first place. Because I needed time to choose my words carefully. But I didn¡¯t bring up this topic now to blame Hisch for doing something behind my back. I just wanted to talk about it as a couple, as people who run this territory together. I just wanted to decide on the direction of this matter together with him. At my words, Hisch relaxed his grip on the oar with a slightly puzzled expression on his face. Like a leaf floating in the middle of the lake on a small boat, I listed the deductions I had exchanged with my father and everything I had been thinking about so far. The significantly lower appearance rate of monsters in our territory compared to other areas, Hisch¡¯s abilities, the superficial reasons and speculation behind the royal family sending Sir Edwin here, and so on. After finishing my words, I looked at Hisch. He seemed to be deep in thought, with his gaze lowered. ¡°If there¡¯s anything you haven¡¯t told me after hearing this, please let me know. I want to take it into consideration when making decisions from now on¡­¡± ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t you already hear it from Sein?¡± ¡°¡­I purposely didn¡¯t ask him because I wanted to hear it directly from you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± In response to my words, Hisch took a deep breath, a little tense, before speaking. ¡°I was the one¡­ who dealt with the monsters that appeared in the territory. It wasn¡¯t possible to get rid of all of them, though.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Sein helped me during the process.¡± Even though it was a fact I already knew, I was inwardly surprised that Hisch admitted it himself. It was understandable, given that Hisch had tried to hide his own ability even from me and, more than anything, he was a man who was afraid of his own abilities. He had spoken of his powers with such trepidation that I was actually skeptical that he was involved in this. I was curious about what kind of change of heart had led him to make this decision, but I was more concerned about him, so I spoke in a slightly anxious tone. ¡°¡­Why did you do something so dangerous without any fear¡­ even though you¡¯ve never even dealt with a monster before?¡± He probably didn¡¯t have much experience encountering them in his life. Hisch shook his head in response to my concern. ¡°Sein took care of that part thoroughly.¡± ¡°¡­Sein?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ With artifacts that block the surrounding view or nullify most physical impacts with a protective shield¡­ I received a lot of help because of his excellent abilities.¡± ¡­ Wait, this guy? He didn¡¯t intentionally get involved, but he practically had a hand in everything with Hisch? As I thought about whether to grab Sein by the scruff and shake him when I got back, I replied for the time being. ¡°I see, it¡¯s fortunate that you are safe thanks to that. But¡­¡± Hisch looked at me silently in response to my question. ¡°Considering this situation alone, if you use that ability¡­ someone is bound to find out about it. But you don¡¯t like that, right? Other people finding out.¡± The man just looked at me silently as I spoke. His jet-black eyes were so still that I couldn¡¯t tell what he was thinking. ¡°¡­I¡¯m worried about you.¡± Not that he might get hurt [1] , but that he might be taken advantage of and hurt by his ability. At my words, he lowered his gaze and spoke. ¡°I just need Liddell to be safe. And this¡­ is just a method.¡± Hisch spoke calmly. ¡°Ever since Liddell told me that something bad might happen in this world, I¡¯ve been thinking about it consistently, and this is the result.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I just hope that you¡¯re safe, and furthermore, I hope that we are both unharmed. Whether it¡¯s revealed or not¡­ none of that matters to me anymore.¡± ¡°Hisch¡­¡± He looked up at me. ¡°But the person I least wanted to find it out already knows.¡± As he said that and laughed, I simply reached out and took his hand. Of course, I could have told him about all the practical things that would happen if he used his ability. That things wouldn¡¯t go as naively as Hisch thought, and there might be unexpected malice and evil that could come our way. But I wanted to tell him this first because I could feel how determined he was to make this decision. ¡°Hisch¡­ thank you for doing that.¡± The man who had been struggling with this problem all his life had found a resolution because of me, and I felt more touched by this than anything else. ¡°But this is a very important matter for you, Hisch. I¡¯m so glad to be part of your consideration¡­ but I don¡¯t think it should be just about me.¡± The man spoke with a slightly bitter smile. ¡°Are my actions, perhaps, burdensome to you?¡± No, not at all. How could I feel burdened by a man who is willing to sacrifice himself for me? But why? Maybe all I had to do was play the role that Hisch wanted, just smiling and being grateful for his kind sacrifices. Didn¡¯t I just want to live a quiet life, more than anyone else, away from the great events that would befall this world? And that goal could be so simple if I could just get a little help from the man in front of me. But I feel like I couldn¡¯t bear the thought of him getting hurt while moving for my sake and putting himself last. ¡°No. I¡¯m only saying that because I care about you, just like you care about me.¡± Hisch raised his head at my words. ¡°I just¡­ don¡¯t want you to get hurt. And honestly¡­ wasn¡¯t it scary? Those monsters, I mean. It looked creepy just to look at.¡± Even though I said it as a joke and smiled, the man just looked at me quietly without returning my smile, so I spoke slowly. ¡°I hope that the reason for all your actions is not just because of me. Just like I am not doing this only because of you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°But if you¡¯ve thought about it enough and made your decision even after hearing what I¡¯ve said¡­¡± I looked straight into his eyes, giving his hand a firm grip as if sending him my support. ¡°Then I will always support you.¡± ¡°Liddell.¡± ¡°I will be on your side more than anyone else.¡± At my words, the black-haired man looked at me as if he was a little unfamiliar with what I said. As we talked, the surroundings gradually turned red, and I realized that any further delay would worry those waiting for us, so we decided to go back. Hisch paddled again, and the boat was getting closer and closer to the shore. As I glanced over, the brown-haired knight was still looking in my direction with an upright posture and expression. He could have leaned on something or sat somewhere and waited. He really is inflexible. As the depth of the water became shallower, Hisch stood up first. I noticed Sir Ted¡¯s figure rushing towards us for a moment, but the man [2] shook his head and lightly jumped into the water first. Since the water had reached up to Hisch¡¯s thighs, it was deep enough to reach my waist. Submerged in the water, Hisch reached out to me with his arms. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll catch a cold if you get wet.¡± ¡°Then what about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m tough, so I¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Yeah, you seem like it.¡± As I said so, kneading his firm arm, Hisch blushed but didn¡¯t retract his outstretched arm. So, I just decided to obediently embrace him. His warm body enveloped me, and he lifted me up like a child. CH 49 Hisch and I had a noticeable height difference, but even when he lifted me up, our eye level was almost the same. Hisch held me tightly, as if to keep me from getting wet, and took a step forward. Suddenly, he stopped and looked down at me. When I looked up at him in confusion, Hisch tilted his head slightly. When I blinked in approval at his subtle request for permission, he leaned in deeper and kissed me. It was a shallow kiss, perhaps because he was aware of the people around us. I blinked my eyes in surprise. I thought Hisch had become more comfortable with physical contact lately, but I never expected him to initiate such intimacy. He looked at me with a slightly shy smile. It was hard to tell if the blush was from the sunset or because he was embarrassed. But his round black eyes shone warmer than anything else. ¡°Because it¡¯s the perfect height for a kiss.¡± Hisch repeated the excuse I once told him, smiling innocently. The shimmering waves and droplets of water splashing from his clothes reflected the sunlight, making Hisch sparkle. And so, I wrapped my arms around Hisch¡¯s neck and pressed my forehead against his. ¡°It really is.¡± I said with a smile. And one more time, I kissed him, gently closing my eyes. Since then, a relatively peaceful time has passed. Hisch has temporarily stopped his duties outside. There was no reason for him to move around and attract attention while there were outsiders in the territory. Sudden free time allowed Hisch to pour his heart and soul into tending to his ¡®secret garden¡¯. I would occasionally go for a walk and watch him work, or lend a hand a bit on the side. Of course, there was little I could do to help, as I had a very high probability of killing a plant if I tried to grow it. The only amusing thing was that Hisch didn¡¯t like insects very much. It was kind of funny, and actually kind of cute to see him freaking out and getting scared of an existence that would disappear if he just touched them. ¡°Doesn¡¯t Liddell get scared of insects¡­?¡± Hisch looked at me as if he were looking at a great person. ¡°They have too many legs to not be gross.¡± ¡°Do you really need to observe them in such detail? You just need to know that they¡¯re just some little things that crawl around.¡± I thought about teasing Hisch by putting a bug that looked like a centipede I had seen on Earth on his shovel, but I stopped since he looked like he hated it and would really cry. I wondered why he didn¡¯t just close his eyes and use his ability to kill those insects if he hated them so much. Maybe it¡¯s because the mindset of valuing life is deeply ingrained in his body. Even my serious thoughts didn¡¯t last long, as Hisch quickly made a professional statement: ¡®Among insects, there are pests but also beneficial ones, so we shouldn¡¯t kill them indiscriminately.¡¯ With that, I lightly reflected that I had once again become too engrossed in my thoughts. Anyway, among the plants that have been grown so far, the one that showed exceptionally remarkable growth was corn¡­ -like plant. No, let¡¯s just call it corn. Since Hisch was so curious if there was any dish I could make with it, I decided to demonstrate my nonexistent cooking skills. For the record, I¡¯m the kind of person who could barely adjust the water level for instant noodles, and since coming to this world, I¡¯ve been someone who just accepts whatever people offer me. At first, I thought about just lightly boiling the corn, but since Hisch seemed so excited, I suddenly thought of popcorn. For some reason, in novels where modern humans have been transported to another world, the first time the residents of that world see popcorn, they would either like it or not because it was a snack that was white as snow, or because it had an unusual texture. So, with the help of the head chef, I somehow managed to make a snack that looked like popcorn. When I gave it to Hisch to try, he said it was really delicious. Perhaps¡­ I could earn some money here by making simple Korean food and selling it? With that dream in mind, I also gave some popcorn to Sein, but this noble bastard to the core politely refused, saying it ¡®tasted somewhat empty and poor¡¯. These noble bastards¡­ I thought to myself as I munched on the popcorn, which tasted a bit boring compared to what I was used to in the modern world. While spending peaceful and carefree days, I let Edwin Roelich spread his wings freely within the territory. I thought it would be less suspicious to act confidently and provide necessary information instead of showing signs of hiding something. Although Sir Edwin¡¯s demeanor had always been friendly enough that one wondered if he had been suspicious in the first place. But it seemed that Sein had a different opinion, and after giving him information about the territory army of the Ensis, he said with a slightly worried expression. ¡°Even so¡­ I wonder if we¡¯re giving away too much information on our side. Although you are of the Catlan bloodline, my Lord, it is not typical of you to divulge information in such detail to the royal family.¡± Well, loyalty is loyalty, but securing the position of one¡¯s family is another issue altogether, so to speak. ¡°What I¡¯m concerned about is if, at some point in the future, this information might be used to send out the territory army for monster subjugation¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t deny that such intentions may exist, but considering the size of our army, we¡¯re not much different from other territories. Even if our territory were sent, it would all be the same anyway.¡± And although it may be a somewhat naive thought, I don¡¯t think the current royal family would use a bunch of half-assed soldiers. I suddenly thought of the red-haired man who would likely command if an alliance army were formed for the royal family. The man who was once my superior. While I¡¯ve said that I shouldn¡¯t easily trust people, there was something in Callen¡¯s character that I felt was trustworthy, having served alongside him for quite a long time. ¡°And above all, I¡¯m satisfied that the excuse of having a well-trained territory army covers up Hisch¡¯s involvement. It was worth the money I spent.¡± The territory army of Ensis, who were just starting to organize, consists of soldiers who, although small in number, have been trained diligently. As a result, even Sir Roelich was impressed, referring to them as ¡®well-trained soldiers.¡¯ As expected, money is everything. ¡°I don¡¯t like being investigated either. Why, we should make a small sacrifice in order to achieve greater success [1] .¡± Sein seemed to understand my words to some extent, but he still couldn¡¯t relax his expression. But I couldn¡¯t call him foolish, as this was exactly the role of Sein Borter. He served as my aide, anticipating and preparing for things I couldn¡¯t catch or think of. So he was always in a position where he couldn¡¯t help but worry, but I still felt a little sorry for him and patted his shoulder while saying: ¡°You always go through a lot of trouble and worry, thinking about this and that on my behalf.¡± He finally relaxed his expression and laughed in disbelief. ¡°Isn¡¯t that my job?¡± But with that one word of comfort, my mood improved, and I secretly felt relieved as I watched my vassal return to his usual expressionless state. And soon I was lost in other thoughts. On the other hand, I also had something I wanted to ask Edwin Roelich about. About that voice. [It¡¯s you] [You¡¯re the one] [who is] [interfering with the prophecy?] That oracle-like voice I heard while using my abilities in the capital. I wanted to ask in detail about the conclusions reached regarding the ¡®prophecy¡¯ spoken by that voice, and whether any investigation was being conducted in the first place. I was almost convinced that the ¡®prophecy¡¯ the voice was talking about was the plot of the novel, , which may have been ¡®a future that may have been realized.¡¯ So, what is the identity of that voice? Is it the deterrence of the original work commonly found in romance transmigration novels? But thinking like that, this place is not even the world in the book I read. If I were to assume as simply as possible, then that voice may be some transcendent being that wants to realize the ¡®destruction of the world¡¯¡­ exactly as it was prophesied in that novel? If so, then Edwin Roelich, who is currently in my territory and is one of the main characters in the book of prophecy, may unknowingly hold some clues to the origin of this destruction. However, if I suddenly bring up such a topic, I might become a weird person who asks, ¡®Do you believe in Tao [2] ?¡¯ So, I was just waiting for the opportunity. Surprisingly, the opportunity to meet Edwin Roelich came soon enough. In the afternoon after the sun passed its zenith, a brown-haired knight sat across from me with a smile. Today, Sein had a busy schedule, and I had tasks assigned to Albert, so there was only one maid who had brought us tea waiting quietly in the corner of the room. And I responded to the man¡¯s words just now with a reluctant tone. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re going back now?¡± ¡°Yes. It is also a daunting situation to leave my position for too long.¡± Did he get all the information he wanted? In just this short period of time? Maybe it was really nothing important, as father said. But then he suddenly spoke up. ¡°Even though it hasn¡¯t been long since you took office, you have been managing the territory army extremely well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s as if you¡¯ve foreseen some sort of crisis would come.¡± CH 50 There was a bite to his words, but I just looked at him, trying not to break my smile. However, the man across from me just responded with a smile as if to say that what he said was just an absurdity. I shrugged and replied, ¡°As you know, it¡¯s a territory that has been vacant for a long time. I just thought it was a matter of urgency to get the territory army in order.¡± ¡°You are right.¡± ¡­ Was he such a character that was hard to read? After realizing that this was a world different from the one in the book, it might be rude to refer to the man as a ¡®character,¡¯ but I found myself thinking that way without realizing it. Come to think of it, all I knew about Edwin Roelich was his personality as portrayed in the novel. In romance novels, it was unlikely that a detailed description would be given to a sub-male lead. He was simply portrayed as a knight with a sense of responsibility who was admired by everyone in the kingdom. And sometimes, he appeared as a man deeply in love with the female protagonist, Violet, so much that he even gave up his loyalty to the royal family. Ironically, I only know what he looks like when he loves someone. In other words, I only know his private life. However, it had not been long since the wedding of the protagonists in was ruined by monsters. The man in front of me not only showed no signs of heartbreak, but also maintained the appearance of an attractive knight that everyone respected. It¡¯s not surprising, really. No matter how deeply in love you are, isn¡¯t it the appropriate attitude for an office worker to go to work even with swollen eyes? Just because your love is over doesn¡¯t mean your life is over. However, after seeing him in person, who felt completely different from what I had read in the book, I finally realized something. Edwin is truly a living person. Feeling that same strange feeling again from my first encounter with Sir Ted, I decided to change the topic. ¡°¡­ I heard that the appearance of monsters has gotten worse these days. I suppose it might be a burden for you to be away for a long time.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± I hesitated for a moment and then gathered my courage to ask him a question. ¡°¡­ Pardon me, but what exactly¡­ is the identity of the person behind the scenes you mentioned before? Have you, Sir Roelich, ever participated in such an investigation?¡± ¡°It was impossible to do it like the wizards, but yes, I have participated.¡± ¡°By any chance, did you notice any suspicious presence¡­ or signs during that process?¡± I want to hear personal experiences that have not been publicly disclosed, the kind that would make a knight sweat in their palms just by listening. As I looked at him with sparkling eyes, Edwin Roelich stared at me with a strange expression. Fine, I¡¯ve heard that such coquetry was unbecoming of me. But is it a knight¡¯s way to embarrass a lady like this? Huh? I was grumbling inside, but I was trying not to let my expression crumble when Edwin suddenly spoke up. ¡°Oh, I apologize. It¡¯s just a little surprising¡­ that Your Lordship [1] is asking me that. I thought you wouldn¡¯t be interested.¡± It¡¯s true that I¡¯m not interested. I just wanted to know what you know. I said with a slightly furrowed brow. ¡°I¡¯m somewhat disappointed. I was paying attention to you since you are Sir Ted¡¯s brother.¡± ¡°I see.¡± With a slightly hesitant expression, Edwin opened his mouth, leaving the compliments for the sake of formality that should have followed unsaid. ¡°But, well, I don¡¯t think this matter necessarily¡­ requires Your Lordship to know this in such detail.¡± ¡°¡­What does that mean? Even Ensis has been subjected to the invasion of monsters. As the Lord, I think this is something I should be sufficiently curious about.¡± ¡°Ah, I don¡¯t mean to imply that Your Lordship has nothing to do with this. But¡­ if I may be so bold to say¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t help but feel a little novel that I am having this conversation with Your Lordship.¡± What are you saying all of a sudden? I was trying to prevent the atmosphere from becoming tense, but the person in question said something even more bizarre. ¡°I have seen Your Lordship since I was very young. I¡¯m sure you must have felt the same way. As a member of the highly esteemed Catlan family and being someone who had entered high society, it was inevitable that I had to keep my distance.¡± ¡°¡­. I suppose that¡¯s how it was.¡± ¡°The young lady¡­ Your Lordship at that time was dignified, but there was a sharpness to you like a honed sword, so all I could do was watch from afar. And now¡­ as you mentioned, you have become the Lord my younger brother serves, so perhaps our relationship has become even closer.¡± And yet? ¡°It was only then that it occurred to me that perhaps, I would have no further entanglements with Your Lordship.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°And even now¡­ I feel like this might be our last conversation. It¡¯s strange, isn¡¯t it? We are still in a position where we cannot avoid seeing each other in the future, and even if we do, we could at least exchange greetings.¡± I looked at him strangely. The me from that time, who was like a sharpened sword, would have been the true owner of this body, Liddell Catlan, not the current me. Back then, Liddell was just considered a simple noble lady, but now that ¡®I¡¯ have possessed this body, I feel like a person who has no relation to her at all. It¡¯s like¡­just as my younger brother had little significance in the story of the ¡®main characters¡¯, I felt that even after the story ended, I myself would have no weight in our lives. Of course, there was no way the man in front of me could know that. I looked at him with a strange gaze as he said something I hadn¡¯t expected. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry for suddenly bringing up this topic. It was a rather absurd thing to say¡­¡± Edwin looked at me, and then broke the silence with a broad smile, as if to make up for the awkwardness of the moment and said something that made me wonder what he was thinking. ¡°The details of the investigation will soon be officially announced by the royal family. What I have experienced and felt are insignificant things to tell, so I think it will be much more helpful for you to wait for the announcement.¡± With that, Edwin bowed his head politely. ¡°And please take good care of my brother, Your Lordship.¡± ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t worry about that. I¡¯ve said it many times before, but Sir Teddius is a knight second to none. I¡¯m always worried that I¡¯m not a good enough master for him.¡± ¡°In that case, I¡¯m relieved.¡± Only then did the handsome man show a slightly sincere and gentle smile. As if that was all he had to say, he rose to his feet, then, as if suddenly remembering something, he took out a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to me. It was a letter sealed with beeswax and imprinted with the royal seal. ¡°I was going to give this to you before I left¡­. It¡¯s a summons from the royal family.¡± ¡°What¡­¡± ¡°It contains orders from the royal family for you, Your Lordship, to explain the ability of Hisch Riot¡­ no, Hisch Ensis.¡± Did he already know? I looked at him incredulously. As I pondered whether to ask him naturally, ¡®What ability?¡¯, Edwin smiled a little apologetically and said, ¡°To be honest, if I had not found a clue, I would have left without delivering it to you until the end. ¡° ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°As for your husband, I would be grateful if you could pass this message along¡­ No matter how small and weak the witness may be, it would be best if in the future you could leave no trace.¡± After uttering those words, which were not at all chivalrous, he bid farewell politely, saying ¡°Then, Your Lordship, may you be well until we meet again,¡± and left. Looking back, it seems that it was indeed the first and last conversation I had with Edwin Roelich that lasted a long time. It was the moment when Edwin¡¯s strange intuition was exactly right, as he had said, ¡°No further entanglements.¡± Pungent smoke filled the air. Along with the sound of crackling, the smell of something burning tickled his nose. The smell was so disgusting that people passing by couldn¡¯t help but scrunch their faces. The man, who had been silently watching the corpses of monsters burn, soon held his hands to the fire to warm them up. At first, he too was disgusted by the nauseating smell, but after it had happened so many times, it didn¡¯t even bother him anymore. He suddenly looked up at the sky. Cloudy or clear skies were commonplace, but strangely enough, the sky looked red today. It was as if the sky was vigorously sucking up the blood that had stained the ground. As the man was lost in his poetic musings, a fellow soldier approached him shaking. He too reached out to the flames to warm his hand. Glancing briefly at the burning monsters¡¯ corpses they were using as burning firewood, the soldier clicked his tongue and said: ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s with all the monsters these days. They¡¯re becoming increasingly bizarre in appearance.¡± The man, who had been looking up at the sky, lowered his gaze at the soldier¡¯s words. One of the monsters, engulfed into the flames, had arms and legs attached to its body that clearly did not belong to it. ¡°I bet I could sew better than that.¡± At first, the monsters had appeared normal. But as time passed, more and more monsters that looked like they were tangled up with various parts began to appear. CH 51 At the man¡¯s response, his colleague smirked. ¡°Well, then, what are you doing here? You should go home safely and sew.¡± ¡°Do I have any alternatives when the country is telling us to fight? What kind of choices do people like me have? But still, well, I feel a newfound strength thinking that if we defeat these monsters, our family can live peacefully at home.¡± ¡°Missing my son is making me lose my energy. Those damn monsters should stop advancing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Nevertheless, our country is relatively better off¡­¡± The man trailed off. In reality, unsettling thoughts had been swirling in his mind all along. So, if monsters are pushing forward to this extent in this bordering kingdom, what kind of situation could it possibly be in the Empire, the country above them¡­ However, Kleinin had shared a border with Carshion for hundreds of years. The man sighed, reassuring himself that such a large country couldn¡¯t possibly be in dire straits. ¡°¡­Well, whatever. I guess it doesn¡¯t matter. I just hope that somewhere an extraordinary person emerges and resolves these matters, so that people like us can live in peace without having to deal with this.¡± ¡°A hero of turbulent times? Is that what you¡¯re talking about?¡± The man chuckled with a sense of resignation, as if mocking the story that was detached from reality, while looking at his colleague who laughed loudly. And on top of the castle walls, there was a gaze fixedly observing the two men. The border with the Carshion Empire. Esdelle Ophius, who was here on behalf of the prince for an inspection tour, murmured while looking at the soldiers who were laughing disparagingly amidst a place filled with the corpses of monsters. ¡°¡­ A hero of the turbulent times who can resolve this situation. It would be great if such a person really existed.¡± Esdelle soon turned around. The blonde man, with a taciturn expression, avoided eye contact and looked in a different direction. However, Esdelle paid no mind and approached him with a smile, initiating a conversation. ¡°Don¡¯t you think so, Young Master Firenze?¡± In response, Miller Firenze, who had come together with Esdelle, responded with a blunt expression. ¡°¡­ Considering that even Carshion, which has numerous ¡®heroes,¡¯ couldn¡¯t completely stop the monsters and allowed them to reach Kleinin¡¯s borders¡­ Well, who knows. I¡¯m not sure if such a person really exists.¡± It started out as a goblin or an orc, a common enough monster that people were used to seeing it. But it didn¡¯t take long for them to evolve into the kind of intermediate-level monsters that one would only see in books. Moreover, ever since stronger and more numerous monsters started descending from the north, he heard that the Carshion Empire, located above Kleinin, had been exerting all its efforts to resist them. Thanks to the long-standing relationship between Kleinin and the Empire, Kleinin still maintained an optimistic attitude, perhaps due to the belief that Carshion would resolve this situation. In fact, Miller Firenze, who probably had more information than anyone else in Kleinin, couldn¡¯t let go of the hope, ¡®Maybe¡¯ when he first arrived here. However, as he witnessed the pouring descent of monsters, his thoughts gradually changed. ¡°I thought the same way. But the situation has reached a point beyond the capabilities of human power, even with ¡®heroes¡¯ or whatever.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Uncle¡­ Marquis Ophius said that this was not an accident, but the work of a person with ability. But judging by the scale and severity of the damage, it seems to be at a level surpassing human intervention, comparable to a natural disaster.¡± Miller silently agreed with those thoughts. Meanwhile, a group of weary-looking soldiers were gathering near the blazing flames that were busy burning away the monsters. It was a spectacle that almost resembled an exhibition. However, considering the inability to estimate when the relentless onslaught of the enemy, which needed to be defeated, would come to an end, it may be even more daunting than a war. However, what if that man were here? Miller suddenly had that thought. If it were that man who possessed that disturbing power¡­ Miller blinked for a moment, then turned his head to the now silent Esdelle. He was met with a sly smile as Esdelle looked back at him. His instincts told him he had screwed up. ¡°Recently, Young Master Firenze¡­ you seem to ponder a lot, often mentioning ¡®Ensis.''¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°As if you¡¯ve seen something unforgettable there.¡± As he said that, Esdelle added a mischievous remark. ¡°But perhaps you¡¯re just ruminating on your lingering feelings for your ex-fianc¨¦e.¡± Miller was aware of the mysterious ability possessed by the young man before him, but they hadn¡¯t spent enough time together recently for the other person to grasp what thoughts he frequently had. That statement implied that he had been observing him consistently, even outside of meetings or official occasions. When Miller¡¯s eyes met the fleeting golden gaze, he closed his mouth tightly. He couldn¡¯t give away any more clues. He needed to clear his mind. ¡­ Liddell still didn¡¯t want that information to be revealed. ¡°Well, it was a long-standing engagement, you see. Suddenly breaking it off would result in more than just a few losses, so I¡¯m still dealing with the aftermath, yes.¡± Miller snorted and ran a hand through his hair, who swiftly composed his expression befitting someone leading the group of merchants of the country. Even the brief moment of silence just now seemed so natural that one could easily pass it off as nothing out of the ordinary. Perhaps if the young man in front of him wasn¡¯t his counterpart, he could have pulled it off convincingly. ¡°Aha, I see.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Oh, there¡¯s no need for you to be so cautious.¡± Esdelle had already confirmed the necessary information multiple times and, after speaking directly to the prince, had even sent an investigator down to Ensis. So, his attempts were practically meaningless. He arched an eyebrow, feeling that somehow his abilities were making him look worse and worse. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for unintentionally reading your private thoughts, young master¡­ But as you know, we are in a situation where we have to try something, anything.¡± Since the king¡¯s illness, the young prince has been left to look after the affairs of state alone. Fortunately, the prominent figures within the palace walls, who held influential positions, were still showing a cooperative attitude towards the royal family. However, as an inexperienced prince, he lacked the power to control all the factions and exert dominance over them. Meanwhile, the momentum of the wizards who played a role in repelling the monsters was increasing, and the dissatisfaction among the northern lords who were directly fighting against the advancing monsters continued to accumulate. There was a need to divert their attention momentarily and find something that could provide relief. He had no expectations for the so-called heroes that the common people talked about. But if the royal family ¨C and by extension, Kleinin¡¯s ¨C shield, Catlan, could provide some good news to lighten the atmosphere. ¡®¡­ I suppose the prince would never consider using others for his own benefit.¡¯ In that moment, Esdelle vividly recalled the violet eyes symbolizing the bloodline of the Kleinin royal family. The prince¡¯s appearance, smiling brightly like an ordinary boy, remained unchanged from when they first met. Of course, their first meeting was forced by the calculations of the adults. Once, when Esdelle Ophius lost his parents in an unfortunate accident, Callen Ophius, who felt sorry for their nephew, wished for Esdelle to make friends of his own age. It was also an indication within the royal family that they wanted to provide a friend and a close confidant for the prince, who grew up without any siblings. When these two individuals, whose relationship was entangled in understanding, met, Esdelle Ophius, who had already sensed the intentions of the adults, couldn¡¯t simply be affectionate towards the other person. The prince, however, merely smiled, delighted at the fact of having a companion of his age. How innocent, Esdelle thought. However, ironically, young Esdelle was saved by that very smile. ¡°¡­..¡± As the situation escalated, there was a growing unease about the prince leading the nation, but the eighteen-year-old youth, who had once lost everything, had this thought. Even if everyone turns their back, let me stand by that innocent friend¡¯s side of mine. ¡°By any means necessary. Isn¡¯t it the duty of a loyal subject to lead the situation as his master wishes?¡± Esdelle, in a calm voice, murmured. Not long after Edwin Roelich¡¯s departure, I asked Hisch about the identity of the ¡®small and weak¡¯ witness he had spoken of, and it didn¡¯t take long to find out. ¡°¡­ I ran into a child who lived in a nearby village. I asked if he was okay since he seemed hurt, but he quickly ran away¡­¡± Hisch, too, mumbled with a look of great surprise. It seemed he hadn¡¯t even considered the possibility that Sir Edwin would track down the ¡®small witness.¡¯ On the other hand, upon hearing his words, I roughly guessed the situation. Perhaps, just as Hisch headed to that location upon hearing the news of monsters appearing, Edwin Roelich must have followed the traces of the monsters and ended up meeting that child. ¡°I wish you had been more thorough in your use of the artifact I gave you. Even if you hadn¡¯t, why didn¡¯t you¡­ Ugh.¡± I hit Sein¡¯s side to silence him as he started to nag. It was clear that whatever came out of this tactless guy¡¯s mouth would be something like, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you get rid of the witness?¡±¡ªheartless words devoid of sympathy or remorse. Hisch, seemingly a little flustered, lowered his head, but I didn¡¯t want to blame him. Expecting someone who had lived a normal life all their life to move with suspicions, questioning everything in their surroundings like a spy from a movie, would be unreasonable. Moreover, killing a child just because they saw him? Not only was it unacceptable, but the very idea that Hisch would engage in such behavior was against all reason. CH 52 Don¡¯t worry too much, Hisch. It has already happened anyway. It was bound to happen at some point.¡± The fact that the royal family prepared a summons and instructed Sir Edwin to find evidence to support it means that information about Hisch has already been leaked. Which leaves only one explanation. Miller. However, that didn¡¯t mean I felt any ill will towards him. On the contrary, I was surprised and grateful that he had kept silent for such a long time. ¡°And speaking of the royal summons, the only person who can truly perceive your ability accurately is His Highness the Prince. There¡¯s no need to worry too much.¡± Only the royal family can judge this strange ability. Among them, His Majesty the King is currently bedridden, so he is out of the question. And I¡¯m sorry to His Highness the Prince, but I had the intention of pushing the idea that regardless of what he feels inside Hisch, it is due to the instability of his abilities since he has not fully awakened yet. Therefore, in order to stand Hisch in front of His Highness the Prince and avoid suspicion, I needed to have more information about his abilities than anyone else. A mixture of truth and lies can convince many people. And the more people convinced, the less the prince would have to say. ¡°Sir Edwin said he would never have given me a royal summons if he hadn¡¯t found a witness.¡± ¡°That means¡­¡± ¡°That means the information held by the other party is insufficient.¡± I nodded at Sein¡¯s wise remark. However, Hisch still had a somber expression. I wondered if there was something else bothering him, but he quickly removed his somber expression with a slight smile in response to my concerned gaze and spoke to me. ¡°¡­ I trust Liddell. Right now, I just¡­ um¡­ I wanted to do better, but somehow things got complicated.¡± ¡°Hisch, don¡¯t blame yourself like that.¡± ¡°I was supposed to be the one helping you¡­¡± His words, filled with what seemed like obsession, unsettled me. I held his hand and drew his attention, silently looking into his eyes. ¡°I told you. You just have to do the best you can in your position and live happily with me.¡± In response to my words, his black pupils shook for a moment. In the end, he smiled as if acknowledging that he couldn¡¯t help it and said. ¡°Yes, I will keep that in mind.¡± Despite that, I still couldn¡¯t find peace of mind, so I intentionally brought up a different topic. As we were going up to the capital after a long time, I suggested enjoying cultural activities and having fun, considering it as a trip to relax and clear our minds. In response to my words, Hisch finally smiled, just like he usually does. In truth, I spoke about trivial matters as much as possible to put him at ease, but our schedule in the capital wouldn¡¯t be entirely smooth. But I didn¡¯t want to see the man, who had finally begun to confront the ability he possessed, get hurt. Hisch, as always, will definitely keep his promise. I firmly held onto that determination in my heart. As the day of leaving the territory approached and I was in the process of choosing the escort for the journey to the capital, there was a slight commotion. I wasn¡¯t sure if the rumors about Sir Ted and my scandal were still circulating in the capital, but it seemed prudent to be cautious. I was planning to deploy Sir Oswald as before, but he approached me with an anxious voice and said these words. ¡°M-My Lord, may I not go this time? I don¡¯t want to leave my hometown, Ensis!¡± What¡¯s gotten into him? He was so excited about going to the capital last time. As I stared at him in bewilderment, Sir Jane and Sir Bethel, with their shady smiles, began to threaten Sir Gran, asking him who he was to dare defy his master¡¯s command. Still, shouldn¡¯t one be allowed to voice such an opinion¡­ As I stared in bewilderment at Sir Oswald who trembled in fear, Sein made a suggestion. ¡°Considering that both important figures of the territory will be absent, wouldn¡¯t it be better to entrust this escort to Sir Roelich?¡± ¡°Well¡­ but the rumors¡­¡± ¡°Surely no one would think that the Lord would enter the capital with two men, one involved in an inappropriate relationship and the other in a marriage covenant. Surely not! No one would think that way.¡± This guy, how many times is he going to keep saying ¡®surely¡¯? It¡¯s not like he¡¯s making fun of anyone. But, well, it made sense. Above all, it felt like Sir Ted was strangely showing off his skills to me, and somehow it felt like he wanted to accompany me. Or rather, it seemed more like he would throw a fit if I didn¡¯t take him along. In the end, our group heading towards the capital became smaller. A knight named Teddius Roelich was worth his weight in gold. A knight stronger than dozens of soldiers. That was a huge difference. And before I knew it, time had passed. On the day of our departure to the capital, while I was holding onto my hat about to fly away in the wind, I was giving Sein some instructions when he suddenly said this. ¡°And before you leave, here¡¯s good news for you.¡± Having said that, he handed me a thin piece of stationery and said. ¡°Peloche has expressed their intention to invest in the tunnel project and has requested a discussion.¡± ¡°Oh, it saves me money.¡± The letter I received was written in handwriting that seemed weaker than the last letter I saw, with traces of tears on it. If he had just quietly paid back the money, he wouldn¡¯t have had to incur such excessive expenses¡­ He¡¯s reaping what he¡¯s sown. After a cursory glance at the letter, I handed it back to Sein without much enthusiasm and spoke in an apathetic tone. ¡°You handle the negotiations. I¡¯ve already made the power of attorney.¡± In response to my words, the man with gray hair smiled in a way that would seem sinister to others and spoke. ¡°I will put all my effort into thoroughly emptying the pockets of those that have troubled my Lord¡¯s mind.¡± ¡°¡­ Very well¡­ Do your best.¡± There was nothing more to say to the man whose temper I had grown accustomed to after spending so much time with him. Though perhaps I should consider it fortunate that he didn¡¯t bite me as his master. In addition, I exchanged a brief goodbye with the newly acquired knights, including Albert, and the servants before turning away. As I did, Hisch stood near the carriage, silently watching me. As I ran towards him without a stop, a smile quickly appeared on his face. Lately, Hisch seems oddly calm. Is it just my imagination or is it one side of Hisch before we got married that I hadn¡¯t seen? ¡°Go ahead and get into the carriage first and take a rest.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll escort you, Liddell.¡± Actually, I can get into the carriage by myself. However, in this world, even these things are among the etiquette that should be observed, and as the highest-ranking person, it was not proper for me to just disregard and overlook them. I climbed into the carriage with Hisch¡¯s escort, and as soon as I settled in, I heard a brief knocking sound on the carriage window. The brown-haired knight courteously bowed and then spoke to me. ¡°My Lord, the preparations for departure have been completed.¡± ¡°Very well. Have the gifts for my father and big brother been properly taken care of? I didn¡¯t have a chance to check.¡± The loyal knight, apparently confirming all the luggage, nodded calmly. Then, after saying it¡¯s time to depart, he once again lowered his head respectfully and disappeared towards the front of the carriage. Soon, the carriage started moving slowly. Hisch spoke with a slightly worried expression. ¡°Perhaps I should have prepared a gift for His Grace¡­ and Lord Lewis as well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. Those gifts are not ¡®my¡¯ gifts, but gifts from ¡®us couple.¡¯ And you were the one who personally chose them, Hisch.¡± ¡°But I didn¡¯t know their preferences well, so I received help from you, Liddell. I didn¡¯t really know what to get them.¡± As I watched Hisch let out a brief sigh, a sudden thought came to me. Come to think of it, Hisch is also estranged from the Riot family, so he has little information about his family. Could it be that Hisch wants to get closer to them but hasn¡¯t been able to seize the opportunity? I wondered if I had been casually brushing that fact aside. ¡°Well¡­ it can¡¯t go on like this, can it? After all, we¡¯re family now. And I¡¯m sure you want to have a more comfortable relationship with them, right?¡± At that moment, I suddenly felt a sense of guilt for my insensitivity towards Hisch, even in the smallest details, considering his delicate nature. Hisch, with his eyes widened in surprise, blurted out his words, seemingly taken aback. ¡°Ah¡­ I don¡¯t really¡­¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Seeing my disheartened expression, Hisch quickly clenched his fist and spoke. ¡°Ah, but if Liddell wants it, I¡¯ll make an effort¡­!¡± And I was convinced. Okay, so I¡¯ve earned myself another overindulgence today. Come to think of it, even I wouldn¡¯t necessarily want to get close if I had in-laws. I chuckled and assured Hisch that I was fine with it too. The capital, which we ended up visiting again sooner than expected, had regained its vitality compared to the last visit. This is evident from the collapsed cathedral, which seemed to vividly depict the tragedy of that day, which had also been almost rebuilt. As we entered the residence, the head maid and butler, accompanied by several servants, were waiting to greet us. Hisch hesitated, still not fully accustomed to his former colleagues, who were once his superiors in the workplace, treating him with great respect, as he exchanged greetings with them. We were directed to stay in the annex of the residence. Normally I would have been allowed to stay in my own room if I had come alone, but this time, since we came as a couple, it must have been a consideration from the family. After dressing casually, I intended to take Sir Roelich to take a stroll around with Hisch, when the butler delivered some news in a cautious tone that dampened my mood. ¡°There is a family meeting scheduled to take place soon, and it seems that you should also attend, Miss.¡± CH 53 I hadn¡¯t attended a family meeting since my marriage was so strongly opposed by the vassals. I didn¡¯t have the time or space, and in fact, there was no need to do so. Furthermore, there is Lewis, who will be the next Duke and the head of the family. As someone who received a title and became independent from the family, I didn¡¯t really need to attend the meetings. To my surprise, as I listened to what the butler was saying, it didn¡¯t seem like a big deal, and since it had been a long time, it might be a good idea to show my face to the elderly and vassals of the house. Even in this world, there are plenty of old-fashioned people. However, the fact that the butler told me means that my father also agreed, so it was almost like a fixed schedule. ¡­ Eyy, I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ll save the complicated thoughts for later and enjoy the present. As I walked down the street, I saw a familiar fountain. As the magical fountain shot up into the sky, I heard people around me exclaiming ¡®Wow.¡¯ It was a truly leisurely day with warm sunshine, perfect for clearing my head of complex thoughts. Come to think of it, both Hisch and I only did our work in our territory. I thought I would live more leisurely once I left the capital¡­ Well, now that things have settled down, I¡¯m sure a peaceful daily life will soon come. ¡°It¡¯s been such a long time since we walked on this street. You always used to go to that flower shop down this road, selling things like seeds and saplings.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Liddell, you still remember¡­¡± Hisch looked at me with a strangely moved expression. I said with a big smile. ¡°Do you really think it¡¯s a coincidence that I¡¯ve run into you here so many times?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°When you used to go out, I would often accompany you for a walk, pretending that I also wanted to take a stroll. Do you really think that¡¯s a coincidence?¡± As Hisch blinked in response to my words, his face quickly turned red, stumbling over his words as he spoke to me. ¡°D-did you wait for me on purpose¡­¡± ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go!¡± I grabbed his arm with a chuckle, and Hisch, who had been hesitating for a moment, obediently followed me. From a short distance away, Sir Roelich followed us. Since we couldn¡¯t stray too far from the mansion anyway, we decided to take a short walk on familiar streets and then return. The streets were bustling with activity. There were several street vendors, and when Hisch saw one of them, he smiled brightly and turned to me. ¡°Liddell, don¡¯t you want to try that?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± By the way, did I bring any cash with me? Normally, a servant or Sein would take care of such things. As I walked over, fumbling for a pocket that wasn¡¯t even attached to my clothes, Hisch handed a coin to the owner first. This is embarrassing. He gave me one of the things he received from the street vendor. It looked like an ice cream I used to eat on Earth, but the difference was that there was a sticky-looking candy stuck to a wooden stick. ¡°When you finish eating this, your fortune for the day will appear on the stick.¡± In response to my suggestion of sitting nearby and eating, Hisch walked towards the bench and muttered to himself. Hmm, is he referring to something like when you finish eating an ice cream¡­ it says, ¡®try again¡¯? The two of us sat down on a bench. It seemed to be quite a popular candy, as besides us, I saw children occasionally coaxing their parents to buy one. Hisch, who was staring blankly at the scene for a moment, soon spoke in a voice that seemed to be reminiscing. ¡°¡­Whenever I went out with my parents to a bustling place, they always used to buy this for me.¡± It was rare for this man, who usually didn¡¯t talk much about his family, to bring up such a topic. I looked at him with a slightly surprised expression. Hisch soon chuckled shyly, stroking the back of his neck. ¡°It was a long time ago. I don¡¯t know why I suddenly remembered it¡­¡± On the other hand, seeing his reaction, I didn¡¯t want to leave him feeling embarrassed like this. In truth, if Hisch didn¡¯t mind, I wanted to keep hearing such stories. What made him so lonely. Why was he estranged from his family. Things like that. But since I couldn¡¯t think of any good excuses, in the end, I opened my mouth saying something like this. ¡°¡­ I, um¡­ don¡¯t have many memories of my parents. Ah, well, except for my father¡­ I¡¯m talking about the people who took care of me back where I used to be.¡± My parents were always busy, and most of their responsibilities towards me were handled with money. When I woke up in the morning and went out to the living room, there would always be a few banknotes on the dining table. On my birthday, it would become ten notes¡­ It was that kind of arrangement. Come to think of it, I didn¡¯t even have any memories of going somewhere to have fun with them. Perhaps when I was very young, even before I could remember, there might have been such times, but¡­ As I spoke, Hisch firmly held my hand. His black pupils looked at me as if observing. As if he was trying to gauge if I was really okay. ¡°¡­Then let¡¯s create more memories together, starting from now.¡± In response to his warm words, I couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Yes, you too.¡± And upon hearing my words, Hisch smiled back at me. It was a truly novel experience. I hadn¡¯t really talked to anyone about anything negative or depressing with anyone before. I thought that sharing such negative or depressing stories would only burden the listener, and I believed that any advice they could offer would be of little help. However, it doesn¡¯t necessarily have to be about giving or receiving comfort. I realized that just sharing one¡¯s experiences with someone could fill the heart with such satisfaction. The feeling that I wasn¡¯t alone became such a source of strength. Time passed peacefully like that. The candy we were eating was the kind that melted in your mouth rather than being chewy, so it didn¡¯t take long to finish it. I read the phrase on the wooden stick that was visible at a glance. [Even if tomorrow is cloudy, isn¡¯t it okay since today is sunny?] What¡¯s with this perplexing phrase? Don¡¯t they usually just write positive words? As I frowned, Hisch spoke in a cheerful voice. ¡°Liddell, look at this.¡± He had also finished his candy, and the clean stick he handed me had the following words written on it: [You are really happy right now!] As I raised my gaze and looked at him, the man, with a curve in his eyes, looked at me with a very joyful smile. ¡°It¡¯s truly amazing, isn¡¯t it? They really know what I feel right now!¡± For some reason, I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off that smile. ¡­Is it possible that I, or the time spent with me, brings happiness to you? Ah, if so¡­ What could be more meaningful than that? ¡°¡­ It really is.¡± I barely managed to say that and smile. It was such a precious moment that it seemed like a part of my heart was melting away, to the point where it felt both overwhelmingly happy¡­ and frightening at the same time. The busiest individuals moving around the buzzing venue were the servants catering to the demands of the members of Catlan. The grand ballroom, which could be considered a considerably large space in the duke¡¯s residence, was densely filled with conference tables instead of party tables for today. As it was a gathering of not only direct descendants but also extended family members, the butler and the head maid responsible for overseeing it were fully focused. Among those being treated with utmost care, Verrell Catlan, the brother of the current Duke and uncle of Lewis and Liddell, turned to the cousin of their father, Baron Ornard, who was sipping wine beside him and spoke in an annoyed tone. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that His Grace won¡¯t be coming today and there was talk that the princess is attending¡­ Is it true?¡± ¡°Well, it seems so.¡± ¡°She causes so much trouble for our family, and yet she has the audacity to show up here. Honestly, how can she face us? The damages we suffered from breaking the engagement with the Firenze were tremendous.¡± ¡°Even so, she is still a direct descendant of the Catlan. More than that, I¡¯m curious as to why she has traveled to the capital with her husband, whose origins I don¡¯t even know. No one would welcome him, after all¡­¡± And beside them, listening in silence, the duke¡¯s nephew, and Liddell and Lewis¡¯ cousin, Idelf, was inwardly astonished. ¡®No, why are these people openly discussing such matters knowing my cousins¡¯ personalities?¡¯ He had no intention of standing by the side of these people who were willing to jump into the flames. Idelf made an effort to ignore them and decided to focus on the luxurious dessert in front of him. As time passed and a significant number of attendees filled the venue, the massive door opened, revealing the appearance of two individuals to the venue. Originally, the family head, the Duke of Catlan, would have led the way, but today, in his absence, a man and a woman walked side by side. The one who took the first step was Lewis, the young Duke, followed closely by the eldest daughter, Liddell. As if waiting, Verrell clicked his tongue and whispered in a low voice. ¡°It seems like she is ashamed to bring that husband of hers as she didn¡¯t even bother to have that guy accompany her.¡± ¡®No, normally, husbands who marry into their wife¡¯s family don¡¯t bother to attend events like this.¡¯ Idelf quietly retorted, shifting his gaze towards Liddell Catlan, who was scanning the hall with a bored look. With hair of the same beige color as her family, and clear turquoise eyes inherited from the current Duke. Her lips bore a gentle smile, yet her gaze, as it scanned the surroundings, held a steadfast determination that seemed unswayed by anything.