Chapter 70

***

Everyone was standing in front of the castle as they approached. Most of their faces looked tired and scared.

“His highness the Grand Duke!”

They shook their heads in surprise.

Count Fidelburg, who took the lead, bent at the waist.

“I greet you, Grand Duke.”

Victor smiled bitterly. The Count was looking at Victor with an icy gaze.

“Count. I’m sorry for the sudden visit.”

“No. Your highness is the owner of this land, so you may visit wherever you like.”

Amarion looked between the two alternately.

Although Count Fidelburg was strict with the knights, his attitude was much colder than when he interacted with Sir Leonard.

‘Why?’

She was curious, but too tired to think.

Victor was the same. He asked in a subdued voice.

“Thank you for saying that. Can I rest first?”

“Of course. Would you like to use a guest room or…?”

The Count looked at Amarion. She realized the meaning of his question.

Couples visiting as guests usually shared a bedroom, but this was a special situation. Since she was staying in the knight’s dormitory, it was more polite for Victor to use a guest room.

But…

She opened her mouth.

“He will share my room.”

Her statement that completely violated etiquette caused a slight stir among the servants. But she looked straight ahead, ignoring them. Victor said he couldn’t sleep, so she had to stay by his side.

That was more important than her shame.

The Count bowed his head without any expression.

“I will do as you say, my Lady.”

Amarion nodded briefly and headed into the castle.

＊ ＊ ＊

Fortunately, the knight’s quarters had multiple bathrooms. Victor returned to their room after she had bathed and changed clothes.

She looked up from the report she had been writing and put down her quill.

“You’re here.”

“…Are you writing the report yourself? You must be tired.”

Victor came over and looked down at the paper.

She nodded.

“No one has seen the whole situation properly other than me. The details of the damage will be reported by the soldiers.”

“Right. Can I help too?”

“I would appreciate your help, but you should rest first.”

Victor looked really tired. His exhaustion was evident in his movements and facial expressions.

‘How long have you been unable to sleep?’

Morte was so large that it took at least a week to get from the Morte castle in the west to Fidelburg, far in the east. He likely didn’t take many breaks since he got here so fast.

“How many days have you not slept?”

Victor blinked slowly at her question.

“About four…It wasn’t that long.”

“The average person can’t stay awake for four days.”

“Didn’t you hear that I was blessed by an Archmage?”

Come to think of it, there were rumors about ‘Walking Death’. The story of how the Grand Duke threatened a wizard to receive a blessing so that he couldn’t be hurt by an arrow or sword was so silly that she laughed it off.

Victor smiled bitterly.

“The wizard blessed me so that no matter how much pain I am in, I will not die. Thanks to her, I could hold on until I met you.”

“…”

“But now, I’m a little tired…”

Amarion got up, took his hand and led him to bed. She quietly sat down next to him. The morning sun filtered in through the window and cast a dazzling light on his face. She closed the wooden shutters.

“Good night. If you wake up, I will stop you.”

Victor looked up at her quietly.

“I couldn’t sleep because of illness.”

“Is that so?”

“I was worried about you. When I closed my eyes, I thought of you in danger, so I couldn’t sleep.”

Amarion was speechless.

Leonard said that Victor became ill after the death of his older brother and comrades. He couldn’t sleep because he was afraid of assassins, and when he closed his eyes he had nightmares.

But now he was saying that he couldn’t sleep because of her, not because of nightmares.

Just like sad lovers who were apart. It was as if he loved her as much as his older brother, whom he respected so much.

Amarion struggled to hide her emotions and turned her head.

She gently stroked his forehead and whispered.

“Good night.”

Golden eyes with long eyelashes closed slowly.

In a room where only the sound of a pen squeaking was heard, Victor slept as deeply as death.

***

At some point, she fell asleep on the desk, and someone hugged her.

Strong arms, thick shoulders, and a familiar body. She grabbed at its chest. It stiffened for a moment and then laid her down on the bed.

It gently pulled the blanket over her, as if handling a delicate feather, and kissed the back of her hand briefly.

“Victor.”

Amarion whispered and fell asleep.

＊ ＊ ＊

She woke up late in the afternoon. As soon as she saw the sun’s position through the window, she bolted upright.

‘How long has Victor been sleeping?’

She looked around, but the room was empty. The report she wrote was also gone.

In its place was .

“!!”

It was the third volume.

‘Did Victor bring it?’

She hesitated, then decided to read a little before she got ready.

[In the last book: Dordophin obtained Gorgon poison and the Dragon’s Sword at Flamberge’s request. The Lady, who is cruel to the knight blinded by love, asks him to behead her father, the Grand Duke, who imprisoned her…

Dordophin asked fiercely.

“Why?”

“What?”

“Why are you asking me to kill him? What happens when I kill your father?”

At those words, Flamberge’s smile distorted slightly. The stupid knight seemed to have completely forgotten that Flamberge was imprisoned.]

“Ha…”

Amarion sighed.

She liked the character Dordophin quite a bit, but his stupidity was really disappointing.

‘He’s not going to kill the Grand Duke like this… right?’

But there was no time to continue reading to find out. She closed the book, grabbed her sword and left the room.

The atmosphere in the castle was chaotic. It seemed that all the refugees who lived near the wall had gathered in the castle. On the first floor, a simple treatment center was set up, and the kitchen maids were handing out soup and loaves of bread.

When she saw their efficiency, she was blown away.

How did she allow herself to relax on the battlefield?

She hurriedly approached Lady Julianna.

“My Lady.”

“You are here, Madame.”

Julianna, who was wearing an apron and giving instructions, greeted Amarion briefly. Her face was pale and haggard.

She probably didn’t even sleep. Even a lady, who had been acting as the hostess all this time, must have been shocked by such a riot.

However, Julianna resolutely reported the situation.

“Thanks to your highness, all of the patients were safely transported. Those who are in bad condition are still in a healing center near the battlefield, but… In any case, all the injured have been recovered. Sir Ulan and the guards put out all the fires.”

“I’m happy. Is there anything I can do to help?”

Julianna shook her head hurriedly.

“It was enough for you to fight last night. All of us are alive thanks to your highness and his highness the Grand Duke.”

Julianna’s eyes fluttered for a moment. Biting her lip, she looked straight into Amarion’s eyes and said.

“Our vassals are a little bit scared of the Grand Duke… It’s terrifying, but everyone knows what a great job you two have done. I can only thank you.”

“Lady Julianna…”

“Especially for saving Leonard, thank you. You saved my life too.”

Julianna bowed deeply. Then, without even giving her time to respond, she instructed the attendants to lead Amarion to the conference room.

Amarion noticed Mary running around far away and then followed the servant.

＊ ＊ ＊

The conference room was cluttered. Knights and attendants, including Sir Ulan, were busy reporting the situation. Everyone seemed to be busy revising the subjugation plan.

She greeted them and approached the desk, but stopped when she heard a harsh whisper.

“…What the hell were you guys doing?”

It was Victor.

He was speaking in a tone she had never heard before.

Startled, she quickly looked down at the papers on the table.

Another voice answered.

“Your highness, we couldn’t help. How dare we get involved in Madame’s fight?”

“You should have done something. The Lady you serve was fighting alone, and you just watched her?”

“…There was no way.”

Victor frowned harshly. His tired golden eyes glared sharply at the knights.

Leonard hurriedly intervened.

“You’re talking as if you did.”

Victor immediately turned his gaze to the blonde knight. It was a gaze that made her shiver, even though it wasn’t directed at her. The eyes of anyone on this continent would flinch, but Leonard was calm.

“Didn’t your highness always move first on the battlefield? To protect us. Even if you were hurt, you didn’t care. The same goes for Madame. Even though we are knights, and this is not her land, she protected us.”

“…”

Leonard exhaled.

“The dowry Your Highness paid is far less than that.”

***

Kofi shop updated till chapter 77.