Chapter 30


    <strong>Trantor:</strong> Latte <strong>Editor:</strong> Sasha


    <span>The servants’ behavior was strangely different these days.


    <span>‘What’s wrong with everyone? Why did they look so… lifeless?’


    <span>The servants seemed to have no energy. Elody called Norman to ask what had happened to them.


    <span>“Norman, why does everyone look so down? Is there something that I don’t know?”


    <span>“Oh, n-no. Nothing has happened, Madame. Everyone is happy that His Grace ising back,” Norman stuttered.


    <span>“Is that so…?” Elodie nodded.


    <span>Elody was depressed herself, so maybe that was why she thought the others looked gloomy as well.


    <span>Caville would return, she should be the happiest amongst everyone else… Yet, she was more anxious than ever.


    <span>Elody sighed.


    <span>Her sigh was softly deting; it was as if the pressure had been lifted off her shoulders, yet it had left her with mncholy instead of relief.


    <span>The newsletter came a few days ago, so Caville should be on the road before then.


    <span>The distance between the war zone, the Catan Mountains, and the Duchy was vast.


    <span>The road through the capital was the fastest, so it would take about three months.


    <span>Until then, Elody decided to renovate the duke’s mansion.


    <span>She had already renovated the mansion before. However, more knights would return to the duchy. Thus, she had to spare more room for them.


    <span>“Madame, the renovation has beenpleted. I will check it on your behalf.”


    <span>“No. I’ll go see it myself,” Elodie said.


    <span>Norman followed her anxiously, fearing that she would copse at any moment.


    <span>“It’s spotless.”


    <span>“Yes, I instructed them to pay close attention to sanitation and hygiene.”


    <span>“I like it,” Elody said as she scanned the newly refurbished barracks.


    <span>“Oh, I almost forgot!” Elody added. “Please rece the nkets and curtains in the guest room with new ones.”


    <span>“Understood, Madame.”


    <span>Elody checked the rest of the rooms with Norman, and on the way back to the mansion, Sir Therion approached them with a bright expression on his face.


    <span>“Madame! What brings you here to our humble abode?”


    <span>“I was checking the renovations.”


    <span>Elody smiled, seeing his happy expression.


    <span>“Yes… Ah! The apprentices are training, would you like to see them?”


    <span>“Shall I?”


    <span>Therion’s face brightened to Elody’s positive response. On the other hand, Norman’s expression quickly darkened.


    <span>“Ah, please don’t, the madame…”


    <span>“Huh? Why not?”


    <span>“Oh no… nevermind,” Norman replied with a false smile.


    <span>Then, he followed Elodie and red at Therion.


    <span>‘If she sees their brutal fights and copses…’


    <span>Elody’s illness was known only to the servants of the mansion.


    <span>It was kept a secret from the knights.


    <span>Norman cursed Therion in his head and followed the two from behind.


    <span>* * *


    <span>“It’s great to see them be so lively and well.”


    <span>While watching the apprentices train, Elody had a pleasant conversation with Therion.


    <span>“They’re delighted because the Duchess hase to watch them,” Therion grinned. “By the way, the war is over, and everyone will be back soon.”


    <span>“Yes, you must miss your brother a lot.”


    <span>“Yes… I couldn’t join the army with him. I’m ashamed,” Therion said as he scratched his head.


    <span>“You should not be ashamed! You’ve done so well in leading the knights of the duchy.”


    <span>“Does Your Grace really think so?”


    <span>“Of course. The knights praised you a lot, and the apprentices respect you as well.”


    <span>“……”


    <span>Therion was one year younger than Elody. He was only 18 when the decree of the war was issued.


    <span>Only one man from each family had to join the war, so Therion’s older brother, William, went to the battlefield in his stead.


    <span>Fortunately, Therion grew up to be an outstanding knight. His extraordinary skills granted him the position of amander.


    <span>Now, no matter what anyone said, he was the Commander of the Knights who everyone loved and respected.


    <span>Therion’s ears turned red from all of her praises.


    <span>“Thank you, Your Grace,” after a slight pause, Therion continued. “The Duke must be all grown up now.”


    <span>“I guess so…”


    <span>As he brought up Caville, Elody began to feel depressed again.


    <span>“Haa…” Elody sighed.


    <span>“……”


    <span>“I have to go now. Thank you for your time, Sir Therion.”


    <span>“Ah! I can escort you to the mansion…”


    <span>“Oh, there’s no need, really.”


    <span>Elody refused his offer and returned to the mansion with Norman.


    <span>Therion was left alone in bewilderment.


    <span>‘Could it be….’


    <span>The Duchess immediately sighed when he brought up the Duke.


    <span>He wondered what it could possibly mean.


    <span>* * *


    <span>Elody was stuck in her office, organizing documents all day without a single break.


    <span>‘Is the madame nning to go on a trip?’ Petria thought, curious.


    <span>Elody seemed tired, so Petria didn’t have the guts to ask her directly.


    <span>Once they finished organizing the documents, Petria immediately asked Norman, “Mr. Norman, is the madame going on a trip?”


    <span>“What do you mean…?”


    <span>“Isn’t she? Huh… I guess I was mistaken.” Petria replied.


    <span>“No, wait. Please tell me in detail.”


    <span>“Well, you see….”


    <span>Norman’s face turned blue after hearing her story.


    <span>‘The Duchess has been acting like someone who will be leaving soon…. Wait, does that mean that there’s not much time left?!’


    <span>Norman hastily ran to the maids’ room to find Marie.


    <span>* * *


    <span>“Your Grace won’t stop by the capital? Why?”


    <span>Caville summoned the Commander of the Cernoir Knights.


    <span>Behind Brien Vedos, the vicemander, were two elite knights.


    <span>One was Ren’s lover, Sr, and the other was a knight named Heinz.


    <span>Ren, who was next to Caville, nced at Heinz’s abrupt question.


    <span>It’s not necessary, but Ren was Caville’s escort.


    <span>“There is no reason to stop by the capital.”


    <span>Heinz raised his eyebrow.


    <span>“But isn’t it an opportunity to impress the emperor? Your Grace saved the princess too…”


    <span>“Why do I need to impress the emperor? Every time I see his face, my urge to kill him deepens.”


    <span>“…A-alright,” Heinz replied, sulking.


    <span>Currently, the forces of the Cernoir Knights were divided into two branches.


    <span>One was Sr and her knights, all from the estate, and the other was Heinz’s troops. All of them were mercenaries that he had met on the battlefield.


    <span>Caville met Heinz and his mercenaries on the battlefield. They swore allegiance after he saved their lives. Caville also granted them the honorary knighthood.


    <span>Then, he chose Heinz as their leader, therefore promoting him to an elite knight.


    <span>Until now, they were close and never had any quarrels. But after the war ended, they began to have conflicts.


    <span>‘To think he’d refuse to stop by the capital.’


    <span>After the meeting, Heinz left the barracks with a dissatisfied expression.


    <span>The mercenaries had no hometown to return to, so of course, they nned to go to the Duchy of Cernoir with Caville.


    <span>The Cernoir Knights were the ones to take the lead on the war.


    <span>‘The Emperor promised to reward us, but he refused it… What better things could be waiting for him in the duchy?’


    <span>He was dissatisfied. Still, he had no choice but to follow Caville’s orders.


    <span>They were not the original members of the Knights of Cernoir, but their loyalty was absolute.


    <span>Heinz admired Caville to the point that he’d be worth sacrificing for.


    <span>He wanted to see Caville, who was ridiculed for being young, directly praised by the Emperor, pping the other nobles’ faces….


    <span>It was unfortunate.


    <span>* * *


    <span>The Knights of Cernoir had amon concern. It was Caville’s cold and blunt demeanor.


    <span>Sometimes, he would seem like a person who had no emotion.


    <span>The only time he expressed himself was when heined about the Emperor or the Temple.


    <span>He used to be a small child who worked hard and trained every day.


    <span>And now, he was a hero who saved the Empire, just like the first duke.


    <span>Caville was a well-rounded leader that all the knights were proud of. They sincerely wished for his happiness.


    <span>They thought it would be nice for him to experience love, feeling various emotions.


    <span>And Heinz thought that Caville was fated to be with the princess.


    <span>Furthermore, the princess turned out to be the emperor’s niece.


    <span>If he led the war to victory and married the emperor’s niece, there would be nothing else for him to desire…


    <span>‘The princess also seems interested in the duke…’


    <span>She often visited Caville.


    <span>There were even times where he saw her acting all coy and shy.


    <span>‘What could be better than marrying a beautiful woman with a high background?’ Heinz thought.


    <span>But there was a problem, Caville already had a wife.


    <span>‘I’m sure she’s spending all her husband’s money alone…’


    <span>She would pretend to care about him once hees back to the mansion.


    <span>Just thinking about it left a bitter taste in his mouth.


    <span>Heinz spat on the floor with a dissatisfied look.


    <span>* * *


    <span>“Then, are we leaving right away?”


    <span>“I want to finish preparing before the sun rises.”


    <span>“Yes, I feel the same way.” Sr chuckled.


    <span>The knights who left the estate had always missed their hometown.


    <span>But Caville was the most homesick among them. He would like to fly on ifrit’s back if he could.


    <span>However, Ifrit was tired because he had used too much power. He said he was going to rest inside the artifact.


    <span>‘How irritating….’


    <span>Caville was annoyed by Ifrit, who was eating away his mana without even trying to help him when he needed it.


    <span>Of course, he was of great help in the war. However, it was natural for him to do that because Caville had constantly been giving him mana.


    <span>“Princess Larissa must be sad. She thought we were going to the capital together….”


    <span>Caville red at Brien and stayed silent.


    <span>“……”


    <span>Ren and Sr saw Caville’s response and nudged Brien.


    <span>Brien shrugged his shoulders.


    <span>He was one of those people who wanted Caville to be happy and to experience love.


    <span>A man should marry a woman who’s kind-hearted, beautiful, and loved.


    <span>And just like Heinz, Brien thought that his destined lover should be none other than Princess Larissa.


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