Chapter 72:

Was it because of accumulated fatigue?

Falling asleep right in the spot where he sat—if anyone heard about it, they’d probably chuckle in disbelief.

Elric stared blankly at Tyria, who had her hand resting on his shoulder.

As his consciousness gradually resurfaced, a smile began to form on his lips.

Words slipped out in a hoarse voice.

“…I dozed off for a moment.”

“You must have been very tired. There were so many visitors in just one day.”

“I apologize to you, my lady. They were all my guests, after all.”

“The lord’s guests are my guests as well.”

After saying that, Tyria, who had been slightly parting her lips as if to say something, suddenly asked,

“…It seems you have made quite a number of connections?”

It was a question that left him unsure how to respond.

After all, he couldn’t say that they were all people he had met on the battlefield, either as enemies or allies.

As he was about to open his mouth, Tyria spoke first.

“I’m not prying. As I said before, tell me when you feel ready. I will wait.”

Is this where it should end?

It was a relief.

Elric had come to understand something.

She sensed that something was amiss, yet out of consideration for him, she refrained from asking any questions.

Elric himself wouldn’t have been able to do that.

Whether from feeling betrayed or pestering out of frustration, he would have surely done something unbecoming.

Knowing how difficult it was for her, expressing gratitude was not easy.

And so, he ended up making a playful remark.

“Why, don’t you want to hear about it?”

Whoosh!

Tyria’s face turned red.

Her eyelashes fluttered slightly, and her eyes took on a faintly pouting expression.

She must have recalled what had happened earlier in the day.

Elric chuckled softly.

“My lord…!”

“Sorry, sorry.”

He waved his hand in apology, but it seemed unlikely that Tyria’s mood would improve anytime soon.

He found that quite endearing. So, she too could feel embarrassed.

As the thought crossed his mind, he felt a strange ticklish sensation in his chest.

“I was just amazed at your new expression. You rarely show your emotions, after all.”

“Nobles…”

“I wouldn’t know. I’m just a commoner who used to play in the dirt.”

“It’s not a good habit to belittle yourself like that.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Tyria’s gaze grew sharper.

Eventually, she let out a deep sigh and stood up.

“You should go to bed. Sleeping in a place like this could be bad for your health.”

For some reason, it felt like he was being scolded.

Elric scratched his cheek and replied.

“Understood. Have a good night.”

“Yes, you as well, my lord.”

After saying that, Tyria quickly turned around and left the drawing room with brisk steps.

For some reason, her footsteps seemed to carry a hint of anger, or perhaps it was embarrassment.

Whatever it was, it certainly made for an amusing sight.

*

A few more days passed.

The land of Wiven had returned to its calm, as if it had never been in turmoil.

With winter gradually coming to an end, the residents of the estate began to stir, and the manor was also bustling as it prepared for the new farming season.

Meanwhile, Elric found himself somewhat removed from it all, feeling unsettled.

—The Empire will split.

It was because of what the Crown Prince had said.

The war would grow even more intense.

It wouldn’t just end in the West; the conflict would spread to the East as well.

These were words that prompted a lot of reflection.

Normally, he would have declared that he was heading back to the battlefield.

His knee had almost fully healed, and he could walk without a cane now, so there was no reason to hesitate.

Yet, there was an unspoken reason why he couldn’t leave.

“Tyria.”

It was because Tyria was here.

Elric had come to accept this now.

“Why are you calling me?”

“You need to go out with me today.”

“Hm?”

“You should learn how to inspect the fields. It’s one of the most important tasks at the start of the farming season.”

Tyria’s usual stoic demeanor had returned, as if she had never been flustered with embarrassment.

Though she still turned red when he brought up that day, Elric was careful not to tease her too often, so it wasn’t a look he saw frequently.

‘In any case, inspecting the fields, huh.’

“All right. Let’s go.”

Elric stood up without his cane.

Having relied on it for almost half a year, its absence felt strange, but it was also refreshing.

He stepped outside the manor, having set aside his fur cloak.

The gentle spring breeze brushed against his body.

The scent of soil and fertilizer mixed in the air, bringing him a sense of peace.

Immersed in these sensations, he learned from Tyria.

When he got lost in her soft-spoken explanations, his worries about the battlefield would fade away, feeling like a distant matter.

It was her magic.

The addictive comfort of this life was growing day by day, nurturing hesitation within Elric.

He glanced at her briefly and saw that she was deeply focused.

She was so devoted to her work that he felt a bit guilty for letting his mind wander.

“My lord, are you listening?”

“I was listening. You were talking about the soil quality, weren’t you?”

“…Please pay attention.”

Elric gave an awkward smile.

I can’t concentrate because of you.

It felt embarrassingly awkward to say it out loud.

“Come, let’s move on to the next.”

She said as she took his hand.

From the point of contact, warmth spread.

A soft sensation, different from his own, sent a tingle through his body.

“…Alright, let’s go.”

Elric stood up.

Even in that moment, he continued weighing his options.

Whether to leave for the battlefield or to stay here.

Lost in thought, suddenly,

“By the way, my lord.”

Tyria spoke.

“There’s one more thing you need to do before the farming season begins.”

Her words pushed Elric, who was wavering in hesitation, toward making a choice.

“You must formally assume the position of lord. Now that both your health and Wiven have stabilized.”

Time, it seemed, was not on Elric’s side.

“Let’s prepare for the inauguration ceremony.”

*

In truth, there was nothing surprising about it.

The decision to leave was Elric’s alone, and since he hadn’t discussed it with anyone, from others’ perspectives, it was only natural to assume he would remain in Wiven permanently.

He hadn’t even bothered to deny it.

Until now, no one had mentioned it due to his leg injury, but with even that hindrance now gone, holding the inauguration ceremony was an inevitable step.

The only problem was Elric himself.

“Like the last Harvest Festival, the inauguration ceremony will be held in the village square. I’ve gathered input from the steward and other retainers on this. Many of the estate’s residents are eager to see you formally take the role of lord.”

“…Is that so?”

“You’ve been famous since you were young, after all.”

Elric looked at Tyria.

She seemed oddly excited, but it wasn’t just her.

Since the moment the inauguration was mentioned, Wiven’s atmosphere had been filled with anticipation.

As they started the new farming season, looked forward to his inauguration, and enjoyed the warmth of spring, Wiven was experiencing a truly joyous time.

“For the inauguration, we should also invite other nobles. Leave that part to me, and you, my lord, please focus on the preparations for the ceremony with the steward. Oh, and the knights…”

Her voice drifted away.

He stood at a crossroads, simply staring at her face.

To leave or to stay.

A bitter smile surfaced.

‘I’ve grown too attached.’

It should have been something not even worth worrying about, but now it wasn’t so simple.

Had he known it would come to this, he would have been harsher and closed off his heart.

He wouldn’t have tried to understand her.

“…My lord?”

Why did she linger in his mind so much that it held him back?

Why had she come to occupy such a large place in his heart?

“Are you feeling unwell?”

It was a face he saw every day, yet how could it feel new each time?

Why did he feel so uneasy if he didn’t see her for just a day?

Why, when his heart was unsettled, did he find himself seeking her more than even the dagger in his chest?

These questions kept surfacing.

And though he tried to ignore them, Elric already knew the answer.

“No. I was just thinking about the weight of it all.”

“You will do well, I’m sure.”

“It’s because you’re here, my lady.”

“…Pardon?”

“I need your help. I do.”

He spoke without thinking.

In other words, it was the truth.

“Will you do that for me?”

As he spoke, Tyria’s expression softened.

A small smile appeared.

“You say the obvious. I am your wife, after all.”

The moment her gentle voice reached his ears,

‘Ah.’

He realized.

I don’t want to leave this smile.

I wanted to stay by her side, to keep seeing that—this selfishness is what brought on all my worries.

‘How foolish…’

He had ended up falling for her.

Admitting that brought a sense of peace but also discomfort.

Since coming to Wiven, the feeling of having a thorn stuck in his throat that had never left him grew more pronounced than ever.

“…It’s already this late. Shall we go for a meal?”

“All right.”

Elric forced a smile.

It felt like sinking into a quagmire.

That feeling only deepened the next morning.

『The Skywing surrenders to the Sword Emperor.

Sword Emperor El Hadakh Mahir has joined the war.

From the moment of his participation, it took only three days to conquer Disha.

In the battle for the capital, the Skywing surrendered to the Sword Emperor, thereby preserving the royal family.』

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