《I’m Ready for Divorce!》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Trantor: Latte I was incredibly tired that day. That day, I failed to pass another interview. The sky was filled with dark clouds as if to represent the murky feelings in my heart. The traffic light turned green. I walked along the road with heavy steps. Then I heard a distant cry. My eyes swept the street, and I fixed my gaze upon a boy in a yellow kindergarten uniform. It seemed as if he stumbled and fell in the middle of the road. Several tears stained his chubby cheeks. Beepppp!! It was such a loud horn that I could no longer hear the child crying. From afar, I saw arge truck rushing towards us without lowering its speed even a bit. I don¡¯t know if the brakes were broken, but I was shaking like crazy. ¡®Huh?¡¯ The child! Before I realized, my body had already reacted instinctively. I jumped out towards the child and pushed him away. Then, everything went ck¡­ I opened my eyes and saw the sky above me. The dark clouds, which had been thick all day long, have finally disappeared. I slowly got up as raindrops fell from the sky. It felt strange. ¡®Am I dead?¡¯ I didn¡¯t want to die like this. When I woke up and turned my head, I saw my body, all covered in blood. Next to me, a child in a kindergarten uniform was crying, and people started to gather around the site. The sound of an ambnce siren was echoing throughout the block. ¡®I don¡¯t have a family, so who¡¯s going to hold the funeral¡­¡­?¡¯ My sight fell upon my bloodied figure when a strange window appeared before my eyes. ¡´You are dead.¡µ Option 1. Live the rest of your life in either Heaven or Hell. Option 2. Reincarnate into another world. * As you have saved a life, you will be given additional choices and buff items. * Reminder: The world you¡¯ll reincarnate to is random. * Unknown item (1) ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡®What, have the angels lost their jobs?¡¯ I was reading the exnation calmly when another window appeared. 10, 9, 8, 7¡­¡­. ¡´If nothing is selected, option 1 will automatically be selected.¡µ The judgment of heaven and hell¡­¡­ honestly, I wasn¡¯t confident. I didn¡¯t live a life full of sins, but it¡¯s not like I lived like a saint either. Of course, I did just save a life¡­ but still¡­. That being said, It would be careless of me to choose option 2 without hesitation. If a new life is given randomly, then there¡¯s a chance that I could be reincarnated as a criminal or a monster, right? *The system is being processed¡­ 5, 4, 3, 2¡­¡­.. Nevertheless, I still chose option 2. In my heart, I prayed to have a blissful life. * * * A week has passed since I got reincarnated into a new life, and I am not happy at all. The person I got reincarnated to was destined for a disastrous future. Her life won¡¯t be filled with happiness but full of torments. Elody Mcir. The daughter of Count Mcir, she was destined to die decadester. ¡®Yes, I¡¯ve never considered myself a lucky person¡­.¡¯ Even if I was given a second chance in life¡­. Elody Mcir is a viin from a novel. Of course, I didn¡¯t realize that I was in a novel upon my arrival in this world. At first, I thought it was just an ordinary magical fantasy world. It¡¯s all thanks to my husband, Caville Cernoir. I realized that this ce¡¯s pure fiction. Caville is an artificial male lead in a romance novel. He is handsome, well-built, good-natured, and talented. ¡®Why¡­¡­¡¯ Sadly, however, the heroine was not Elody. The heroine was a princess of the Empire of Dayev, which copsed a few yearster after the war broke out. There was a reason why I felt a little affection for Caville¡¯s character in the novel. It¡¯s just that his fate was simr to mine. Caville was abandoned in an orphanage as a newborn baby by the Duke of Cernoir. Even in orphanages, children are severely harassed by adults. After both his parents, the duke, and the duchess died, he inherited the title as he was the sole sessor to the dukedom. Thus his misfortunes began. Upon bing a duke, he married a wife, who abused him for six years. The abusive wife was Elody Mcir. Elody reigned as the duke¡¯s wife and reced all the servants to those who served under her. She ordered them to show indifference to Caville¡¯s presence. ¡®It¡¯s a novel without cider¡­.¡¯ The story was so frustrating that I could die from anger just by reading it. A few yearster, Caville was assigned to lead the knights into the battlefield. He conveyed his leadership abilities and earned trust from the knights. The war had turned Caville from a little boy into a respectable young man. Then, he met the love of his life. That was the female lead. ¡®I wish I was the heroine¡­¡­¡¯ Unfortunately, it couldn¡¯t be helped. Anyways, Caville, who made a great contribution during the war, returned as a hero with the heroine. Elody, Caville¡¯s wife, changed her attitude when her neglected husband came back from war. She told him about how much she had missed him when he was gone. How she¡¯s been waiting for his return for a long time. Unbeknownst to her, Caville asked for a divorce, and she became furious. Elody rejected his demands. She persecuted and tormented the princess, who hade to stay in the mansion. In the end, she did an irreparable deed¡­. ¡®A poison that could harden the whole body like a stone¡­.¡¯ It was the use of poison. Elody¡¯s a genius in magic. Therefore, she was able to develop a terrible poison to kill the princess. Fortunately, Caville discovered her n and banished the duchess from the house of Cernoir. ¡®A bitter ending¡­¡­¡¯ The viin faced a typical end. After being ripped off from her title, Elody suffered from an incurable disease that had all the symptoms as the poison she made. She died a lonely death within the slums. ¡®Yes, that¡¯s me.¡¯ Elody smiled bitterly and looked at her sleeping husband. Right now, Caville was only seven years old. However, all the years of abuse led his malnourished body to be smaller and thinner than the average boy at his age. I felt sorry for him. A child¡¯s stomach and cheeks should be plump when they¡¯re sleeping¡­ I¡¯ve made a decision. I was given a new life. I will not waste this chance and repeat Elody¡¯s previous mistake. I will lead a life full of happiness. When I came to this world, there was no restriction that I could not change the course of fate¡­ I had no intention of abusing Caville like the original one. How can you abuse someone when they are so lovely? I thought I¡¯d live a long and happy life. To do that, I had to raise the Caville well and develop a cure for the incurable disease that I¡¯m going to getter. The goal was clear. ¡°Caville, let¡¯s get up. You have to eat.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± I shook Caville lightly. His small body was covered under the nket. At this point, Caville was only 7, while Elody was 13. ¡°I¡¯ll read you a book about fairy tales after you eat.¡± ¡°A fairy tale?¡± His eyes glistened as he heard the word fairy tale. Caville¡¯s knowledge wascking because he had been neglected for a long time. So he was still inadequate at reading and writing. In the original story, he was illiterate until he went to war. But I was already nning to teach Caville before that. ¡®Let¡¯s not be discouraged!¡¯ I wanted him to be acknowledged by the world. * * * The Cernoir family had a lineage of dukes with extraordinary powers. The first Duke of Cernoir was a war hero who conquered the vastnd himself. However, because of the former duke¡¯s poor management of the estate, The House of Cernoir is currently suffering from financial difficulties. Elody¡¯s family was not very wealthy either. The character of Count Mcir, who married his daughter to the heir of a poor Duke¡¯s family, was also well known. In the dim memory of little Elody who came back to life, Count Mcir was full of greed. Unable to sell his children, he turned to the Duke¡¯s butler, who offered him arge sum of money. Then Norman, the duke¡¯s loyal butler, made a substantial dowry for Caville. That¡¯s because Caville, who came from an orphanage, couldn¡¯t adapt at all and was still afraid of an adult. The butler thought it would have been better to have a wife who is a little more mature than Caville. A wife who can protect and care for him. Little did he know, his choice would end up creating a massive ordeal for the child. To the point where the money he scraped up became a waste, Of course, the butler could not have known that his wife would abuse him. At first, no one knew that Elody was abusing Caville. It was like smoke and mirrors. In the original story, Elody fired the butler and took over the House of Cernoir as her power and status grew bigger after her marriage. All the faithful servants were reced. She was clever andmitted numerous misdeeds with her power. In fact, she even showed a vast knowledge in the field of medicine. ¡°Oh, by the way, I have to study magic pills¡­¡± Elody muttered at the sight of Caville rubbing his eyes. ¡°What¡¯s a magic pill?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to know yet. Now, let¡¯s wash your face first.¡± ¡°My face feels dry¡­¡± ¡°I told you you¡¯d be ugly if you were dirty.¡± Caville pouted his lips and nodded his head. A week ago, he was as vignt as a cat. Fortunately, he has slowly opened his heart to me. It was the same for me. I couldn¡¯t help getting attached to him after sleeping in the same bed every day. It was a pity that Caville had never experienced human affection before. The maid brought a basin filled with warm water. After setting down the basin, she rolled up her sleeves. ¡°Madame, I¡¯ll do it.¡± At the maid¡¯s words, Caville hid behind Elody¡¯s back with wary eyes. ¡°It¡¯s all right, I¡¯ll do it. You are dismissed.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, your grace.¡± The maid nced at Elody and looked as if her heart was melting. The maid, named Marie, was a young woman, but like the butler, she was a faithful servant of the duke. ¡®I finally have a proper master.¡¯ Marie was filled with hope. ¡®How can she be so mature?¡¯ She was opposed to the idea at first. She couldn¡¯t believe that a child who had just been adopted from the orphanage would have to get married immediately¡­. But contrary to her worries, the butler¡¯s decision was right. After getting married to his wife, the young lord had quickly adapted to the role of a Duke. What a relief. * * * When the maid went out, Caville no longer kept his guard up. Perhaps because of the maltreatment at the orphanage, he was still afraid of adults. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s wash your face.¡± Elody put a towel around Caville¡¯s neck and washed his face thoroughly with warm water. ¡°Here I go!¡± ¡°Uhh¡­¡­.. Nooo¡­..¡± ¡°Haha! Stop moving, will you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Ahh!¡± She was happy even though she was ying with a little boy. Somehow, it felt like she had a younger brother. Elody wiped Caville¡¯s white face with a proud smile. ¡®Yes, I¡¯ll raise him well and hand him over to the princess!¡¯ Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Trantor: Latte That night, Elody stared at Caville, who had fallen asleep. When Elody first saw him a week ago, he kept having nightmares. It is a relief to see him sleeping so peacefully nowadays, he didn¡¯t seem to have nightmares guing his sleep anymore. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, my dear. I¡¯ll happily get rid of your nightmares!¡¯ Then, Elody began to think of the things she had to do in her new life. ¡®First and foremost, I will raise and feed Caville well before he goes to war.¡¯ She didn¡¯t want to send him, but it was the duty of the Duke of Cernois to join the war at the emperor¡¯smand. She does not have the power to stop the war. Caville was only 13 years old when he went to war. In the original story, he was abused and wasn¡¯t well-fed, so as a result, his body became very frail. Fortunately, after years on the battlefield, Caville grew into a wonderful adult. ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡®The thought of sending my baby to war makes me cry. If I have to let him go, I¡¯ll feed him well and raise him with lots of love so that he¡¯ll grow into a strong young man.¡¯ ¡®Secondly, I will keep thend safe until Caville returns.¡¯ The duke¡¯s estate is very vast and fertile. However, the number of productive people in the dukedom was very small, it was all because of poor governance. Naturally, the efficiency was bound to fall. In the original work, Elody ruined the duke¡¯s territory to the point of no return. Elody threw all kinds of chemical drugs into theke and forest in the midst of studying magic pills, which resulted in permanent damage to the environment. Still, the dukedom is open for many prospects as it has not been contaminated yet. ¡®Well, first of all, I¡¯ll have to study the magic that will make thend more fertile. It¡¯s better to nt more expensive crops. I¡¯m sure that there are gold coins and jewels hidden somewhere within the estate.¡¯ In the novel, the original Elody found the vault to the hidden gold. Unfortunately, Elody didn¡¯t know the location. So she¡¯ll have to look it up again, one by one. ¡®Last but not least, I¡¯ll have to research the cure for my incurable disease.¡¯ This was the biggest problem. This was how Elody¡¯s life came to an end. While trying to poison the princess, she got infected by the disease. ¡®I don¡¯t want to die. If possible, I want to live a long and healthy life.¡¯ ¡°Ugh¡­¡­¡± Elody was still writing on her desk when she suddenly heard Caville¡¯s voice. The sound surprised her and she quickly headed back to the bed. ¡°Sister¡­.¡± Perhaps because he wasn¡¯t properly educated at the orphanage, Caville was still not used to the demeanor of nobles, such as the usage of titles. Still, Elody answered him gently, ¡°Yes, your sister is here.¡± His nightmare stirred him up in the middle of his sleep and he was surprised to see himself in bed. Tears welled up in Caville¡¯s eyes. Elody hugged his tiny head, Then she gently re-tucked his tousled nket. ¡°Now, lie down in my arms. I¡¯ll put you back to sleep.¡± ¡°Uh, where are we, sister?¡± ¡°Call me your wife, Caville.¡± ¡°Wife?¡± ¡°Yes, until you bring the princess back, you will call me your wife.¡± ¡°Princess?¡± Elody held him within my embrace and stroked his head. It felt warm. He wriggled and hugged Elody¡¯s waist with his small arms. ¡°My wife¡¯s a princess?¡± ¡°No, but soon she¡¯ll be your wife.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take care of it and send her to you, so don¡¯t have to look for the princess.¡± Caville, who was unable toprehend Elody¡¯s words, thought. ¡®She¡¯s still a little girl right now¡¯ Elody stroked Caville¡¯s head. She wanted him for herself. ¡®No, I can¡¯t do this!¡¯ Later, when Caville brings the princess back from the battlefield, she can¡¯t be upset. ¡®I will not be jealous of his lover. I will not be like the previous Elody and resort to dirty underhanded tricks.¡¯ * * * The next day, Elody woke up to the sound of birds chirping. She opened her eyes, and woke Caville up. Then she proceeded to wash and feed him. After that, she went to speak to the butler. ¡°I want to see the financial situation of the territory.¡± ¡°Yes? This¡­.¡± Norman, the duke¡¯s butler, had a bad premonition. Truth to be told, when he tried to bring back Count Mcire¡¯s daughter, he had a lot of worries. Count Mcire was notorious for his greed and stupidity. Norman was worried about the little duchess¡¯ personality, as they say, the apple doesn¡¯t fall far from the tree. But he had no other choice. No one wanted to send their precious daughter as a wife of the illegitimate son of a poor Duke. For aristocrats, wealth was one of the most important aspects to look for when epting marriage. But Count Mcire had no qualms about giving his daughter. Later, he even wrote a contract for his daughter so that he won¡¯t get involved. ¡°Yes, madame, I¡¯ll give you an easy report.¡± ¡°And¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°If the financial conditions do permit, please hire a swordmaster for Caville. ¡° ¡°A swordmaster?¡± ¡°He has to learn from an early age so that one day, he¡¯ll be able to lead a group of knights.¡± ¡°Ah! Yes, understood.¡± ¡°Find me the best swordmaster there is.¡± ¡°Yes, madame.¡± At Elody¡¯s words, the butler bowed his head and went out. ¡®She¡¯s so thoughtful.¡¯ Norman was touched. The former Duke of Cernois was very extravagant and was deeply addicted to alcohol. So was the duchess. Both of them sat on the sidelines, drinking their alcohol without a care for the world. Coincidentally, the two died of a heart attack because of the umted years of heavy drinking. In the absence of a sessor, Norman questioned the maid who had given birth to a child of the Duke. If he could not establish a sessor as it is, the house would ultimately fall onto the duke¡¯s brother, the Count of Borque¡¯s hands. Count Borque has an odious personality. Norman didn¡¯t want to see the House of Cernois, who the first duke had devoted all his life to, be trampled upon by Count Borque. Upon finding the maid, Norman still needed to spend a lot of resources to find the abandoned heir in an orphanage. The sessor to the dukedom, who was so hard to find, is nothing but a skinny little child. Because of the way he was treated, Caville was extremely afraid of adults. It was a tragic incident. Norman sent a letter saying he had found the heir. He was also able to make Count Borque acknowledge Caville as the sessor of the Duke of Cernois. But truth to be told, Caville hasn¡¯t been able to adapt to the new environment. This is the reason why Norman decided to have him get married at such a young age. He had hope that his wife would be able to take care of him as an older sister would. On the other hand, Caville¡¯s grandfather was a benevolent master. Recalling the fond memories of his old master, Norman secretly wiped the tears on his face. * * * ¡°Caville, stop eating snacks.¡± ¡°Yes¡­. wife.¡± Elody taught Caville the word ¡°wife,¡± and now he keeps calling her that. Elody patted Caville¡¯s head as a gesture of praising him. Then, she ordered the maid to clean up the tes. She wanted to feed him as many snacks as she can, but it wouldn¡¯t be good if he eats too much. ¡°You have to learn well and obey your instructor.¡± ¡°What? Snack?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not a snack. He¡¯s your instructor. Instructor.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Before sending Caville to the battlefield, she thought it would be convenient to let him learn the basic skills of swordsmanship. ¡®I wish I could teach him in person, but unfortunately, I do not have sufficient knowledge regarding swordsmanship whatsoever.¡¯ There were some knights who became Caville¡¯s loyal subjects, but she couldn¡¯t remember their names. ¡®Ah, I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t know!¡¯ She decided to stop worrying and yed with Caville instead. ¡°Now, let¡¯s go and y!¡± ¡°y?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± As a child, ying is essential. Elody took Caville¡¯s hand and went out into the garden. Even though the trees and flowers were withered, it was still good enough to serve as a yground for children. ¡°Come on, Caville, try to catch me!¡± ¡°Okay, wife!¡± ¡°You count to ten first and then catch me!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Elody rushed throughout the garden excitedly. ¡®Unexpectedly, I seem to be more excited than I thought I¡¯d be.¡¯ Caville smiled brightly and looked at Elody running around. His smile was dazzling and beautiful. It was prettier than the moonlight and more beautiful than the sun that sets at dawn. As Elody grew further and further away, Caville became nervous. In the end, Caville chased Elody without even counting. He was afraid that Elody might disappear from him. ¡°Hey! That¡¯s cheating! Ah!¡± Despite Elody¡¯s grumbles, Caville persistently ran after Elody and he caught up to Elody. ¡°I got you!¡± Caville smiled and hugged Elody. His grip was very tight. Elody soon smiled helplessly and held Caville¡¯s hand. Caville held Elody¡¯s hand tightly. Young Caville never wanted to let go of this hand. He didn¡¯t want to give it to anyone else. * * * Today was the day of Caville¡¯s first sword training. To make sure he has a lot of vitality, Elody fed him a lot of rice. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s because he couldn¡¯t eat well at the orphanage, but he has a good appetite.¡¯ He ate freshly baked warm bread with braised chicken, and two cups of sweet milk mixed with honey. Elody couldn¡¯t be more d to see him eat so well. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the training grounds, Caville!¡± She reached out her hand to Caville. Since it¡¯s his first day, Elody decided to attend the ss with him. Caville¡¯s instructor is Brien Vedos,mander of the knights of House of Cernoir, who willter be Caville¡¯s right-hand man. The sky was dark, but it didn¡¯t rain. Elody went to the training center in the knights¡¯ building while holding Caville¡¯s hand. Sir Norman who followed us from behind, introduced Sir Brien to me. ¡°Now, Sir Vedos. I look forward to your lessons starting today.¡± ¡°Yes, madame.¡± Brien looks dispirited. He was a young man in his twenties. Sure enough, Caville hid behind Elody¡¯s back and shifted his eyes nervously. ¡®That coward is the duke? Oh, dear Lord.¡¯ Brien is an open book. It was easy to understand his thoughts. I continued to stare at his gray expression. ¡°Unfortunately, Caville is afraid of adults. He¡¯s struggled with trauma as he was often abused in the orphanage.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± Brien¡¯s expression melted at Elody¡¯s words. He fiddled the back of his head with shame. Elody looked at Caville, who was wriggling behind her back, and then looked up again at Brien and said, ¡°He¡¯s a child right now, but he¡¯s going to lead the knights of Cernoir in the future. So I humbly ask you to look after him, sir Vedos.¡± ¡°I understand, madame.¡± Brien looked at Elody with curious eyes. ¡®So small, yet so mature.¡¯ He was thinking with a look on his face. Elody turned to Caville hiding behind her back. ¡°Caville, he¡¯s a good man.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Be a good boy. All right?¡± ¡°Okay¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be right next to you, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t leave me?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t. I¡¯ll sit over there, see?¡± Even with anxious eyes, Caville nodded. Brien looked down at the young master with a wistful face. But Norman, the butler, was instead smiling with pride. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Trantor: Latte Caville grabbed a small wooden sword, he shifted his gaze towards Elody. She could see his anxiety showing through his trembling hands. To reassure him, Elody would asionally wave her hand and give him aforting smile. While Caville continued with his training, Elody spent her time reading books about magic pills that the maids brought from the library. It¡¯s surprisingly not difficult to make magic pills. In fact, she was capable ofprehending the contents withoutplication. Perhaps, it was all due to Elody¡¯s innate intelligence. She closed my eyes and tried to recall the procedure of creating magic pills. She brushed through the list of ingredients and procedures. The key to making magic pills is the amount of mana. It is essential to inject the precise proportion of mana into the pills. Not to mention, the quality of mana is also very important. Fortunately, Elody¡¯s born with the power to manipte the earth and wind mana. It is the perfect setup. s, she was destined to be a viiness with a horrifying end¡­. Regardless, it¡¯s still a useful ability, so she could consider it as a gain for her. Now the real problem is the ingredients. she needed numerous kinds of herbs and berries. The seeds can be formed with magic, but where will she be able to grow them? ¡®I wish there is a greenhouse near the mansion.¡¯ Truth to be told, the duke¡¯s mansion does have a greenhouse, but it has been a long time since anyone has utilized it. It would require a huge amount of funds to repair the greenhouse. It¡¯d be great if she could expand the size as well. ¡®I have to take some of the savings in the vault.¡¯ It originally belonged to Caville, but¡­ ¡®I¡¯ll sell tons of medicine and repay himter.¡¯ (Elody continues to watch Caville¡¯s training session.) After much deliberation, Elody set her gaze back to Caville¡¯s little figure. Caville was a knight who was known for his swordsmanship skills, he was brilliant enough to make a big impact in the war. It was described in the novel that Caville was unbeatable in a fight. He was astounding, either his power or skills, both are formidable. Nevertheless, the Caville in front of her was nothing but a child. ¡®I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s growing up so fast.¡¯ Tears welled up in Elody¡¯s eyes when the realizations hit her. ¡®Huh? But¡­ Isn¡¯t the training too hard?¡¯ Today was his first lesson. So, of course, he should be learning the basics, like the swordsman¡¯s stance and how to properly wield a sword. ¡®But¡­ howe he¡¯s already learning how to spar?¡¯ Somehow, Sir Vedos¡¯ ss seemed to be different from the usual swordsmanship ss. ¡°Stand up, my lord.¡± Brien Vedos was very strict and cold-hearted. Even when Caville had fallen to the ground numerous times, he wouldn¡¯t reach out his hand to him. Instead, Caville had to get back up on his own. Caville raised himself slowly, tears welling up in his eyes. Seeing Caville¡¯s pitiful face, Elody clenched her fist, trying to stop herself from running up to him. ¡®It¡¯s nice to watch my boy grow up¡­ but¡­ still! He¡¯s crying!¡¯ Elody red at the harsh instructor, but he didn¡¯t heed Elody¡¯s silent protest. He went on with his lessons regardless of the piercing re. Caville fell a few more times, and a whileter, dirt smeared all over his body. His clean crisp attire had be an unrecognizable dirty rug. Halfway through the lesson, Caville looked to where Elody was. ¡®When I saw his anxious eyes, my heart ached, yet I didn¡¯t step forward and kept enduring the upsetting scene.¡¯ ¡°You have to grip the neck of the sword. Now, once more!¡± Brien pointed the old wooden sword at Caville who¡¯s fallen again. As time went on, Caville¡¯s expression began to crumble. ¡°Heuu¡­¡± ¡°What are you crying for¡­.¡± Brien muttered with discontent. Elody jumped up from her seat. ¡®I can¡¯t stand it anymore!¡¯ ¡°Sir Vedos!¡± Brien finally shifted his cold gaze to Elody. Unlike her initialposure, all the maturity in her face had vanished and morphed into an angry expression. ¡°I told you before. Caville is afraid of adults! Why would you point your sword towards his neck like that? Don¡¯t you know how scary it is for a traumatized child to be held at gunpoint?¡± ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t hit him¡­.¡± ¡°Threatening him is the same as hitting him! I order you to train Caville with care until he gets used to it! It is still the first lesson!¡± ¡°¡­I understand.¡± Brien Vedos scratched his head due to the troublesome demand. He felt odd because his usual training method was through strict and demanding practices. It was also the first time he¡¯s ever been scolded by such a young girl. But as Elody said, the student was an abused child and had struggled with trauma. Brien had no experience of meeting abusive adults when he was young. In fact, he had never been afraid of them. So it was understandable that he could not empathize with Caville¡¯s pain. Even so, there was nothing wrong with Elody¡¯s words. It would be more efficient to teach with moderation until Caville¡¯s able to adjust himself. Caville was such a difficult student that Brien had to reconsider his teaching method. Even so, Brien had fun teaching him. Caville¡¯s eyes were full of fear and he always looked as if he was on the verge of crying. In the eyes of others, he would¡¯ve been deemed as a coward. But Brien knew he was far from a coward. Brien could see that underneath his fears, he would instinctively look for the opponent¡¯s weaknesses. It felt as if he was looking at an inexperienced young cub that¡¯ll grow into a monstrous beast. It sent a chill down his spine when Caville gave him such a menacing look. It was his first time to experience such feelings. Brien expected the uing training to be interesting. ¡°Oh, dear Lord! His knees are bruised!¡± If only it weren¡¯t for that overprotective-parent-like duchess. Elody rushed towards Caville who had fallen to the ground. Caville unwittingly stretched his arm around Elody¡¯s neck. ¡®Ah, I¡¯m tearing up again.¡¯ As Elody hugged Caville¡¯s small figure, the dark clouds that had been umting in the sky, slowly started to create pitter-patter raindrops around their figures. ¡°Thank you, Sir Vedos. It¡¯s raining, so let¡¯s call it a day.¡± ¡°¡­yes, madame.¡± ¡°Get on my back, Caville.¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± Elody headed to the castle with small Caville lying on her simrly small back. Brien could only look at both of the figures dumbfounded. * * * Elody hurriedly headed to the bathroom where the maid had prepared warm water. Then she stripped Caville of his garments. Caville was still afraid of adults, so she washed him herself. Even though he has been well fed, his figure was still scrawny and frail. He looked as if he were only about four or five years old. ¡°Is the water too hot?¡± Caville shook his head silently. She saw deep cuts as she scrubbed his back gently with a soft sponge. The first time Elody washed Caville, she was shocked to find countless wounds marring his body¡­ The director of the orphanage often locked up the children in a room and abused them. Recalling the odious man, she swore to avenge Caville¡¯s wounds. She gritted her teeth. She used to have simr scars across her body. Count Mcire, Elody¡¯s father, was a violent man. Whenever he was in a bad mood, he would beat up his wife and children, creating scars on Elody¡¯s body. The marks on his thigh looked the same as hers. ¡°Caville, do your knees hurt a lot?¡± ¡°Yes¡­..¡± Caville¡¯s eyes welled up again as he recalled what had happened earlier, yet he didn¡¯t let his tears fall. ¡®Now that I closely observed him, he doesn¡¯t cry that often.¡¯ It was admirable to see him trying to contain his tears. Suddenly, an awful thought crossed my mind. ¡°Caville, did the orphanage¡¯s director and his friends scold you if you cried?¡± Caville nodded slowly, affirming her suspicion. She felt sorry for him. It may bemendable to see a child holding back his tears. But to force someone to stop crying is just¡­ inhumane and wicked. Suppressing one¡¯s emotions does not eliminate them, rather, it makes it more difficult for the person to manage their feelings when other challenging situations may ur in the future. Worse-case scenario, the pent-up feelings could manifest into escapist behavior and give rise to physical and mental illnesses. ¡°Caville, you don¡¯t have to hold back your tears.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You can cry. There¡¯s no one here that will scold you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course, I may scold you sometimes¡­ but I won¡¯t force you to stop crying.¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll listen to you, wife.¡± ¡°Then you have to keep your promise.¡± Elody continued to scrub Caville¡¯s body with care. Honestly, she could ask for the maid¡¯s assistance, but she¡¯d rather wash him herself. She didn¡¯t want anyone to find out about the bruises on his poor body. After the bath, Elody clothed herself with silk garments. She left the bathroom and saw Caville, he was dozing off in front of the warm firece and his head fell to the side every once and then. Sheid out a nket and wrapped it around him. Feeling the soft nket wrapping him, Cavill woke up. He looked up to me with his eyes wide open, blinking, trying to rid his sleepiness away. ¡°Caville,e, sit here. I¡¯ve told the maids to bring you some vegetable soup.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Caville¡¯s hand peeked out from the nkets. He picked up the utensil and spooned the hot vegetable soup that¡¯s been brought in by the maids. Watching him eating attentively, Elody called out to him. ¡°Caville, when the instructor pointed his sword towards you. Were you frightened?¡± ¡°Yes¡­it was scary.¡± ¡°Have you ever been hit before?¡± ¡°Yes. It hurts a lot.¡± Caville answered with a nod. Elody held Caville¡¯s hand and said, ¡°The instructor won¡¯t hit Caville.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. He will not hit you.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s still scary.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will never allow him to hurt you.¡± She clenched her fist with determination, then she looked at Caville. ¡°Caville, you know. Those people who¡¯ve been bothering you.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°The adults who¡¯ve hurt you, they¡¯re worth nothing,¡± she said firmly. ¡°You, on the other hand, are worth more than you think. Those adults? They¡¯re nothing. You don¡¯t need to fear them anymore.¡± ¡°Still, I¡¯m scared.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be. I¡¯ll make sure to punish them for all the bad deeds they¡¯ve done to you! You don¡¯t have to be scared anymore.¡± ¡°But¡­ what if my wife gets in trouble too?¡± Caville bit his lips, hating to ever imagine the chance of his abusersying their hand on Elody. Elody, who was looking at him, chuckled because of Caville¡¯s adorable reactions. Elody snorted at him pretending to be tough. ¡°Ha,e on. Don¡¯t you know how strong I am, Caville?¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll punch them allter. Like this, look.¡± Elody said, punching the innocent pillow beside her. Caville grinned at her remark. She was serious though. ¡®Someday, I will punish those people with my own hands.¡¯ A thought crossed her mind, and she quickly fetched a paper and pen from her desk. ¡°Caville, do you remember their faces? Say whateveres to your mind.¡± Caville hesitated for a moment, but he began to describe the faces of his abuser. While speaking, he seemed a little scared, but he was relieved to see Elody¡¯s rxed expression. ¡°Really? How big is his nose? Thick lips?¡± She listened to his exnation attentively and began to draw on the paper. Though she had poor drawing skills, she was still able to get a rough sketch of those guys. ¡®The guys who dared to bully my baby¡­ I¡¯m gonna kill them all!¡¯ After finishing the soup, the two fell asleep while talking in front of the firece. They could¡¯ve gone to bed, but the warmth of the firece was toofortable to move away from. The rain was sliding down the window ss. The sound of raindrops knocking on the window felt like a gentle luby, cradling both of them into a deep slumber. Not long after they both fell asleep, a maid came in to pick up the dirty tes. She smiled as she saw the two children who fell asleep in front of the firece. ¡°Oh, how lovely¡­¡± The maid leaned carefully and carried Caville to bed. ¡°Huh? What is this?¡± As she was about to carry Elody. She saw a piece of paper next to the child. It was a sloppy drawing of several individuals. ¡°Did they draw this? Oh my god¡­ How cute¡­.¡± The maid smiled lovingly and moved the children to bed. The room was filled with the soft scent of gentle, powdery, and light fragrance. And the paper with pictures in it was ced well inside the book. The maid, who left the room, told her fellow maids about the lovely scene she had just seen. Even Elody¡¯s cute drawings weren¡¯t left out of her story. ¡°Oh, drawing pictures? How cute!¡± ¡°Who did they draw? Did they draw the butler? I¡¯ll have to ask them to draw me, too.¡± Contrary to the thoughts of the maids, those drawings were actually Elody¡¯s murder list. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Trantor: Latte The next day, the butler reported the fief¡¯s financial status to Elody and gave her the documents. Meanwhile, Caville, who was eating beside her, had his mind up in the clouds. The sound of Caville chewing his food could be perceived throughout the room, and as Elody started reviewing the ledger. Her expression turned dark. Elody was shocked to see how terrible the house¡¯s financial condition was. Seeing the youngdy¡¯s distasteful look, Norman started to sweat. ¡°It¡¯s because the former duke raised the taxes too high¡­¡± Elody sighed at Norman¡¯s evasive remarks. The situation was not good because the former Duke wasted a considerable amount of money for his own self-indulgence. To cover the expenses, he raised the tax rate drastically and because of that, the number of residents decreased a lot. The duke was imprudent and selfish. He couldn¡¯t care less for the poor. ¡°At this rate, we¡¯ll have to collect more taxes next year,¡± Norman said with a worried look. ¡°Alright, thank you. I¡¯ll ask you if I have more questions. ¡± ¡°Understood.¡± At Elody¡¯s words, Norman bowed his head and excused himself out. Seeing Elody¡¯s serious expression, the butler¡¯s heart swelled with hope. For some reason, everything seemed to be going well under the youngdy¡¯s supervision. ¡®It¡¯s nice to be free from worries¡­.¡¯ The butler had a lot of concerns when the duke took charge of the fief. The former duke and his wife were both alcoholics. They had no interest in managing thend¡¯s affair. Their thoughts were only filled with ways to quench their addiction. Under these circumstances, it was a blessing to receive Elody into the estate as she was mature for her age. Not only did she help resolve the budgetary problems, but Elody also aided the young lord so that he can adjust to normal life. Norman once again thanked his insight for choosing the perfect person as the young duke¡¯s wife. When Caville moved into the mansion, he used to cry and lock himself up inside his room. Nowadays, he is more rxed around adults. In fact, he can even see the young duke¡¯s smile from time to time. The way Elody kept herposure ignited Norman¡¯s hope. Her mature countenance calmed his anxious mind. The indifferent look on the little girl gave him the assurance he much needed. Elody really had an unusual knack of making people feelfortable. People would quickly warm up to her. Even the servants of the castle, who were concerned about Elody¡¯s arrival, seemed to have eased up their guard. Aside from her warm presence, Elody would greet every servant she encountered with a curtsy. ¡®That¡¯s why all the servants like her.¡¯ Norman took out his handkerchief and wiped his eyes. As he grew older, he easily teared up on the smallest things. He had a feeling that the House of Cernoir will reign in prosperity once again. ¡®Yes, everything¡¯s going to be fine¡­..Definitely!¡¯ Unexpectedly, his hunch came true. ¡°What? Hidden gold?¡± A few dayster, Norman looked at Elody with a nk look on his face. ¡°Yes! If you would care to follow me, I¡¯ll take you to the vault.¡± Elody brought Norman along, saying she had found the duke¡¯s hidden vault. Norman with his mouth agape followed Elody, who was walking towards the safe¡¯s direction. * * * Elody had spent a lot of effort in finding the safe. She even left all of her affairs aside, just to search for the hidden vault. ¡®Where could it be? How did the former Elody find it?¡¯ She had a hard time finding it with no explicit information detailed in the novel. The gold vault was left by the former Duke¡¯s father or Caville¡¯s grandfather. The room was hidden beneath an unused study, which was made exclusively for Caville¡¯s grandfather. In the middle of the study, was a desk covered in mountains of dust. At first nce, it might look like a normal desk. But underneath that desk, lies a door that leads to the secret vault. ¡®I found it! But¡­ it¡¯s locked. Where¡¯s the key?¡¯ The safe was locked tight, but Elody couldn¡¯t find any clue regarding the key¡¯s location. So instead of finding the key, she used an iron rod to break open the door. With Norman¡¯s help, Elody proceeded to pry open the wooden lid. Then, the door utched with a thud. ¡®Wow¡­¡­¡¯ The vault was magnificent. It contained thousands of gold bars, gold coins, and jewelry. Just the sight of it would leave everyone mesmerized. Of course, it wasn¡¯t enough for the people to live the rest of their life leisurely, but it was enough to guarantee their livelihood for theing year. Amongst the pile of gold, a letter was ced on top. It was written by Caville¡¯s grandfather for the former Duke. Perhaps after he passed away, he had hoped his son would find the safe. ¡°Ah, ¡­..I can¡¯t believe it.¡± Norman wept as he read the letter. He could not be more grateful. Meanwhile, Elody began to contemte. ¡®At present, the House of Cernoir¡¯s reputation is at its worst. In order to recover the house¡¯s honor. I¡¯ll have to influence society into thinking that the House of Cernoir isn¡¯t one to trifle with. In order to create positive rumors, I¡¯ll have to spend this money wisely.¡¯ First of all, this should be spent on Caville. ¡°Norman, am I allowed to use this?¡± ¡°Of course, the duke¡¯s property naturally belongs to the reigning duke and duchess.¡± ¡°Then please reinforce the estate with more knights.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mean to sound extravagant but I have something I¡¯d like to do.¡± ¡°¡­As you wish, your grace.¡± Norman, who stopped crying, nodded as he looked at Elody. ¡®This person is trustworthy. But isn¡¯t he too naive?¡¯ Norman was a man full of loyalty and honor. It was reasonable for me to trust him. But it¡¯s kind of uncanny to see how credulous he is. Norman didn¡¯t even question my decision for reinforcing the knights. ¡®Why does he think so highly of me? Is he not worried about me ruining it all?¡¯ Elody intended to use part of the money for military power. The former duke had many knights, but ever since he passed away, the knights hadn¡¯t undergone any proper training. In order to aid Caville in battle, Elody needed elite soldiers. Therefore, reinforcing the knights was a necessity. ¡®That way, it will be safer for Caville and the knights.¡¯ Of course, there was another reason behind her order. The former duke was an irresponsible man and he had no interest in thend. Nevertheless, he was still a duke. Meanwhile, the current duke is nothing but a young child. Hence, it is inevitable that the house might be looked down upon by other nobles. By reinforcing the knights, they might be able to protect the house from other noble¡¯s schemes. Besides, Elody had found the perfect person to lead the knights. ¡°You want me to be themander of the knights?¡± Brien Vedos was dumbfounded by this preposition. ¡°Yes, you will hold the responsibility as themander of the knights until Caville matures. ¡°¡­ With utmost respect, your grace. I barely have enough time to teach the young child. I do not think I have the capability nor the time to train an entire army of knights.¡± ¡°You say you are upied, but I don¡¯t recall you ever having a wife and children?¡± Brien paused and looked at Elody with astonishment. He was bewildered as it was the first time he got called out for lying. ¡°You don¡¯t even have a lover.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She might sound collected, but her words felt like des, stabbing into his guilty conscience. Brien then nced at Elody with a distressed look. ¡°Sir Vedos, I humbly ask you to consider my request. At least, for Caville.¡± ¡°However, to maintain the knights, the amount of money¡­..¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve taken care of that. You just need to call the knights and start their training. You¡¯re allowed to choose your apprentices and reinforce them before you begin.¡± ¡°¡­Understood.¡± Elody smiled with relief. ¡®This is what you call appointing the right person to the right ce.¡¯ After seeding in recruiting Sir Vedos, Elody excused herself and headed back to the castle. She also had a duty of her own. ¡°So, the princess and the prince lived happily in the cookie house.¡± Precisely, it was Elody¡¯s duty to read a book to Caville during tea time. If Brien had seen this, he would¡¯ve deemed her actions as useless. But Elody knew for a fact that reading and storytelling are essential for children. It promotes brain development, sparks imagination, teachesnguage, and a lot more. For Caville¡¯s future, storytelling was important. Caville was now seven years old, but he was still very dependent on Elody. So Elody spent a whole day with Caville. She yed with him in the garden, built things out of soil, and made simple toys out of hand-me-down fabrics. ¡°It was fun, wasn¡¯t it? Do you want to read another story today?¡± After reading all the fairy tales, Elody closed the book. When she looked towards Caville, his eyes kept sparkling. ¡°It¡¯s nice to have a cookie house. Wife! Why don¡¯t we have a house?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Can we have our own house?¡± Caville asked with an innocent face. ¡°What are you talking about? This is your house. ¡± ¡°Here?¡± ¡°Yes. The ce you¡¯re living in right now. This is your house, Caville.¡± ¡®I¡¯m going to get a divorce, so I won¡¯t live here forever.¡¯ At Elody¡¯s words, Caville tilted his head. ¡°Then I won¡¯t go back to the orphanage?¡± ¡°Of course not. You live here now, Caville. This is your home.¡± Elody¡¯s reassuring words brightened Caville¡¯s face. ¡°I love living here! I want to live here with my wife for the rest of my life!¡± ¡°¡­yes, well¡­.¡± Elody felt bitter when he said that. She couldn¡¯t help it, knowing Caville will fall in love with the princess in the future. ¡°I wish I had a cookie house, too!¡± Hearing Caville¡¯s childish words, a smile returned to Elody¡¯s face. ¡°No, Caville. The cookie house¡­.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°There are many ants in there.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I hate ants¡­.¡± With Elody¡¯s firmness, Caville looked a little sullen. She felt bad for destroying his childhood. Ever since he lived in the mansion, Caville developed a sweet tooth. He enjoys eating the sweets Elody gave to him. Of course, it¡¯s never too good to eat things excessively. Which is why Elody strictly controls Caville¡¯s diet. ¡®Huh? Come to think of it,¡¯ ¡°Caville, can you stand up?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You got taller¡­¡± ¡®He grows up so fast¡­ I¡¯m proud of him.¡¯ Elody told Caville to lean on a wall, then she drew a mark above his head. ¡°Let¡¯s record your height here every year.¡± ¡°When you grow up, you will be taller than me. ¡± Caville opened his eyes, they widened with amazement. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± In the original story, Caville was described as a very tall handsome man. Imagining the grown-up version of himself made her very pleased. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Trantor: Latte Elody stroked Caville¡¯s face, her heart was filled with a surge of pride. He had thick and lustrous raven ck hair. His unfathomable, pink eyes were those of rose quartz. Elody could imagine him growing into a very attractive adult. Thanks to the servant¡¯s efforts in maintaining his nutritious diet, Caville¡¯s marred skin became white and smooth as snow. His lips were no longer chapped. His pink eyes were orb round and darted constantly, a gleam with delight and the vigor of youth. Elody was d to see him flourish so well. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, wife?¡± ¡°Nothing. You¡¯re just very beautiful, Caville.¡± ¡°I¡¯m beautiful?¡± ¡°Yes, Caville. You¡¯re the most handsome in the world. My baby.¡± ¡°My baby?¡± ¡°Yes, it means that you¡¯re the most precious to me,¡± said Elody, as she hugged Caville in her arms. Caville then extended his arm around Elody¡¯s waist. Although his arms were short, Elody was surprised at how tight he hugged her. ¡°When I grow taller, I¡¯ll give you a bigger hug.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Grow big, my baby.¡± Elodyughed seeing Caville¡¯s determined eyes. Not minding his childish remark, she stroked his soft hair gently. ¡®In the future, the princess will be the one to hold the adult Caville in her arms. When she grows into a beautiful woman, she¡¯ll be the one to hug you instead.¡¯ Elody smiled as she imagined the marks that will be carved on the wall in the years toe. Still, she let out a deep, heavy sigh. In a few years, Caville will go to war and Elody will be left all alone. The thought of it saddens her heart, as she could no longer mark his height on the wall. In the novel, the warsted for ten years. The war was against the Empire of Urta, which was located in the east of the Friar Continent. They colonized neighboring countries with their strong military power. However, The Urta Empire was known to be cruel and ruthless. They ughtered every single civilian and innocent children mercilessly. To them, nothing mattered as long as they were able to conquer the Empire of Heklos. At first, everyone was sure that the Empire of Urta would prevail, for they dominated the first few years of the war. s, the tides were turned when Caville entered the battlefield. Caville became the main force behind every victory of the Heklos Empire. He had extreme intelligence, his leadership abilities earned the trust of his soldiers, and his drill methods helped transform the patriot forces into an aplished fighting force. He wasbeled as the continent¡¯s best swordmaster and he led the Empire to victory. Needless to say, he was a hero. ¡®My baby is amazing.¡¯ Elody was proud, but she felt somewhat uneasy at the same time. It felt as if her feet had been dipped into the mud and it was suffocating. One of the Empires the Urta had colonized was the Empire of Dayev, the country of the heroine from the novel. The heroine was the princess of the Dayev Empire. She was taken hostage by the Urta Army and the person who rescued the princess was none other than Caville. It was love at first sight. Destiny brought them together as they felt a connection that was unparalleled from any other person they had met before. ¡®No matter the circumstances, they will be drawn to one another¡­¡¯ But that story was still in the distant future. ¡®I want to see him grow up and fall in love¡­ How great it would be¡­¡¯ Elody was downhearted at the thought of not seeing Caville for so long, not capable of watching him grow up into a fine young man. Her heart ached. She wanted to make lots of memories with Caville. She wanted to spend more time with him. Still, Elody ignored the throbbing in her heart. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t worry. For this too, shall pass.¡¯ * * * A few dayster¡­. ¡°Birthday?¡± Elody opened her eyes wide and looked at Norman. ¡°¡­Yes, madame.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡­.¡± With Elody¡¯s disheartening response, Norman was hesitant. Caville¡¯s birthday is just around the corner. In the past, while inquiring information on Caville¡¯s mother, Norman received a letter from a maid¡¯s father. Turns out, the maid was the duke¡¯s mistress as well as Caville¡¯s birth mother. Unfortunately, the letter did not say anything about Caville. It only states the name ¡°Caville¡± and his date of birth. Since then, Norman kept a close record of the lord¡¯s birthday. As things progressed, Caville wasn¡¯t that afraid of adults anymore. So Norman thought that it would be wonderful if the duke gets to celebrate his birthday with the duchess. When he was preparing the young lord¡¯s marriage, Norman checked the documents he received from Count Mcire. Coincidentally, Norman found out that there was only two days difference between Caville and Elody¡¯s birthday. That¡¯s why he came to the duchess to discuss his proposal. He wanted to celebrate both their birthdays at the same time. Although when he mentioned the event, her reaction was not very good. ¡®Does she have bad memories about her birthday?¡¯ When the idea came to him, Norman felt angry and helpless at the same time. Count Mcire was infamous for his greedy and abusive ways, and he obviously was not a loving father. Norman couldn¡¯t have imagined what had transpired on Elody¡¯s previous birthdays. ¡®The Count must not have given her a proper birthday party. Did he even celebrate her birthday¡­?¡¯ ¡°Madame, I¡¯m sorry, I made a mistake¡­.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Elody, who had been frowning for a long time, smiled brightly and nodded. Norman was stunned by the unexpected response. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I love birthday parties! Let¡¯s arrange one for Caville¡¯s birthday.¡± ¡°Well, can I, uh, arrange the party for both of your grace¡¯s birthdays? It seems both of your birth dates are close so I thought of celebrating them together¡­.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Elody¡¯s answer assured Norman and his expression brightened as he heard her reply. ¡°Understood, madame! I¡¯ll get right into it.¡± He left the room as he bowed himself out. ¡®Hah¡­ I somehow managed to convince the duchess.¡¯ Elody who was still sitting in the room recalled what Norman said. When he mentioned the word ¡°birthday¡±, she involuntarily stumbled upon one of the little Elody¡¯s memories. She could recall one of her birthdays through the shes of memories. The memory was very faint, just like a piece of torn and worn out paper. Elody¡¯s father, Count Mcire had many children. The children of his wife to the illegitimate children from his mistresses, and even the maids he hadid his hands on¡­. Under such circumstances, it was impossible for the count to celebrate Elody¡¯s birthday. Either way, he couldn¡¯t care less about his children. Elody may be born from nobility, but unfortunately, she has never experienced love or any sort of affection from her parents. Not even her siblings. ¡®I remembered one of my older brothers congratted me on my birthday only once.¡¯ Elody¡¯s previous life before reincarnating was even worse. She was an orphan with no clue regarding her exact birthdate. Moreover, she lived a life filled with loneliness and didn¡¯t have anyone to celebrate it with. As a result, Elody has never had a proper birthday party. ¡®Come to think of it, isn¡¯t this my first birthday party in both lives¡­?¡¯ Unconsciously, her heart was filled with anticipation and excitement. ¡°What¡¯s a birthday?¡± Caville asked while learning letters beside Elody. ¡°Well, a birthday is the day Caville was born in this world.¡± ¡°Is that good?¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s good. It¡¯s the day where you get lots of presents and eat delicious food.¡± ¡°Can you eat snacks, too?¡± ¡°Yes, you can eat as much as you want that day.¡± ¡°Wow¡­. Really?¡± Caville said as he pped his hands with glee. Caville also grew up in an orphanage, so he must have never had a proper birthday party either. Elody thought about what gift she should give to Caville for his first birthday celebration. ¡®Should I give him a toy since he¡¯s still a child?¡¯ Despite the anguish in her mind, Elody nced towards Caville¡¯s paper. ¡°Caville, you made a mistake here.¡± Hearing Elody¡¯sments, Caville¡¯s face turned peevish and sullen. ¡®He¡¯s so cute when he pouts.¡¯ Elody patted Caville on the head and pointed out his mistake. ¡°Oh, but this one¡¯s correct! Well done, Caville.¡± As soon as Elody gave him apliment, Caville¡¯s sullen expression brightened. Caville¡¯s progress in his studies was slow due to his trauma. The effects of abuse can be so epassing that a child¡¯s development slows down. Surprisingly, however, his speed at learning the ancientnguage was quite fast. ¡®Well, as expected of the male lead¡­.¡¯ Elody was talented in ancientnguages as well, and her years of studies made her fluent. She was in charge of teaching him ancientnguages. As they progressed with the study, Elody couldn¡¯t help but realized that Caville¡¯s learning pace was faster than normal people. However, learning the ancientnguage was no easy task. Simr to inborn talent, it was easier for individuals with a strong affinity for mana to learn ancientnguages. At the same time, people who do not possess any manack the ability to learn just as fast. Perhaps, Caville had the ability to manipte mana, that would exin how he could learn numerousnguages with ease. It wasn¡¯t surprising considering his role as the male lead. He was destined to be a legendary swordmaster. He was capable of creating his own aura using mana. Elody was stern in teaching Caville now, as she was hoping that if she taught him well, it would be of great helpter. Like a parent who teaches their young children to help them prepare for the future. * * * Sometimeter, the day of the celebration came. Elody made a rabbit doll for Caville. At first, Elody felt giddy with excitement. This was Caville¡¯s first birthday party. So she wanted to make something by herself. Unfortunately, things didn¡¯t go too well. So to salvage the doll, she asked for the maids¡¯ help. Although, in the end, it still looked kinda sloppy. ¡®I should have just bought something¡­.¡¯ Nheless, Elody decided to give him the present as it is. A personalized gift is always a good idea, no matter what kind of present it is. After all, the real intention of giving handmade material is not about the price but to make the receiver feel special. ¡°Is your finger alright, madame?¡± Marie anxiously questioned. Elody nced at her pricked finger and shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°Look on the bright side! The doll turned out beautiful! I¡¯m sure the duke will like it.¡± ¡°Will he?¡± It¡¯s kinda ugly¡­. ¡®The rabbit¡¯s ears were a bit different in length. His eyes seemed a little crooked too, but what¡¯s done is done. What else can I do?¡¯ Elody proceeded to wrap the doll. She desperately tried to cover the bunny¡¯s ws but of little to no avail. Eventually, she sighed and left everything to Marie. After wrapping Caville¡¯s present, it was time to change Elody¡¯s attire. Marie gathered up the gown and helped her wriggle into it. Elody straightened up, smoothed the frock neatly into ce, and performed a clumsy pirouette followed by an impish curtsy. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ beautiful.¡± said Elody as she spun around. The dress was pastel pink and the skirt consisted of ruffled tiers of pink tulles that ended just above the ankle. A sash bow wrapped around the dress consummated the ensemble. ¡°Where did you get this dress, Marie?¡± ¡°It¡¯s made by the maids. It¡¯s a birthday present for you, your grace!¡± ¡°The maids made this? You have incredible skills!¡± ¡®Should I make a sewing room in the mansion for the maids?¡¯ At Elody¡¯s answer, Marieughed, not minding the high praise. ¡°Thank you, Marie. I really appreciate the dress. Do tell the other maids of how grateful I am.¡± ¡°You¡¯re very wee, madame. I will tell the others soon.¡± Afterwards, Marie curled Elody¡¯s pink locks and did her makeup. Not too long after, the preparations were done. ¡°It¡¯s done, your grace. Now let us show the duke your new dress.¡± Marie said as she reached out her hand to Elody. Elody looked at the hand with a bizarre feeling. It made her a little self-conscious to be treated like a kid, but as her body was that of a child, she could only shrug the awkwardness off. When the door to the hall opened, Elody could see Caville pacing around the entrance anxiously. ¡°Caville.¡± Elody called out, Caville who was trapped in his anxiety was startled by the sudden call. When he saw that it was Elody who called him, he swiftly came close and grabbed her outstretched hand. Norman, who was watching their interaction, exchanged a proud look with Marie. Elody took Caville¡¯s hand and went down the stairs gracefully. ¡°Congrattions, lord and madame!¡± ¡°Happy birthday to the duke and duchess of Cernoir!¡± As soon as the door of the restaurant opened, the assembled servants began to sing, cheering to celebrate the joyous asion. Suddenly, the sound of a child crying spread across the room. ¡°¡­Waahh!¡± All the people inside the restaurant were startled by Caville as he burst into tears. The surprise party was supposed to be filled with joy and happiness, but instead, one of the main stars of the event burst out crying. The servants whispered in dismay. Elody saw Caville¡¯s reaction and quickly calmed him down. ¡°Caville, look over there. They have cake!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The word ¡°cake¡± stopped Caville from sobbing. His tears disappeared as fast as it came. Now his gaze was set to the direction of Elody¡¯s pointed finger. In the middle, a very long table was arge cake. It was a stunning ombr¨¦ rosette cake withyers of red velvet sponge and then sprinkled with pink sugar dust. Caville¡¯s eyes glistened with eagerness. For him, seeing such a big cake was a novelty. A smile was soon painted across his tear-stained eyes, letting the servants release a long relieved sigh. Elody was reassured when she saw Caville had stopped crying. She didn¡¯t expect that Caville would cry in the middle of the celebration. Truthfully, She herself wasn¡¯t surprised by the event as she had known the servants¡¯ n since a few days ago. They were so obvious in arranging the party. Several days ago, the servants frequently gathered and chatted amongst themselves. Yet when Elody appeared, they scattered as fast as the wind. Just like carps in a pond¡­. At first, she wondered if something serious was going on, but when she eavesdropped on them, the only words she could hear were cakes, fairy tales, special birthdays, and so on. This morning as well, Elody tried to get near their gathering to eavesdrop, but the servants used every trick in the book to block her and shooed her away. When Elody realized their ns, she wanted to tease their childish enthusiasm, but she desperately held it in out of gratefulness for the servants¡¯ efforts. The birthday party soon began with all the estate¡¯s servants celebrating alongside. The lit warm candles were ced on the silver candle stands and were distributed all over the table. The sound of firewood crackling in the firece could be heard. Creating a simple, yet heartwarming ambiance. ¡°Please, settle down everyone. I will now serve all the special dishes I¡¯ve prepared for the duke and duchess!¡± Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Trantor: Latte The long tablesden with delicacies lined the walls. Everything you can think of, and things you have never dreamed of, lie in wait. The chef prepared whole roasted ducks and the aroma permeated the room, making one¡¯s mouth water. Everyone enjoyed the feast. Everyone¡­ except for Caville. His forehead turned into a frown as he tasted the food. He seemed sensitive to the taste of heavy spices and didn¡¯t like them very much. ¡°¡­.¡± Elodyforted the sullen chef and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be so glum, the meat is delicious. He just has sensitive taste buds.¡± The chef could only nod at Elody¡¯s words. Then he fixed his gaze towards the young lord. Only to find him ogling at the cake that he made. Caville took a slice of cake. Giving it an experimental bite, he was surprised to find how easily the spongyyer gave way to his teeth and nearly gasped when his taste buds practically sang under the vor. It was the best cake he had ever tasted in his entire life. Caville soon forgot his distaste towards the heavily seasoned foods and ate two more tes of the special cake. The chef¡¯s gloomy look was nowhere to be seen. The duke¡¯s relish towards the cake restored his wounded pride and he couldn¡¯t be anymore jubnt. As the party continued, Elody permitted Caville to eat without manners for the rest of the day. As soon as he heard Elody¡¯s concession to release him from the stifling custom, he began to eat his food with even more gusto, and Elody too, let go of her manners and etiquette for the special day. ¡®On such a joyous day, manners are the least important!¡¯ A whileter, the small chatter across the restaurant eventually stopped and it was finally time to open the presents. Norman gave a book to both Caville and Elody, while the maids presented handmade outfits. Brien bestowed Caville a wooden sword created from expensive ckwood and he gave Elody a cute hairpin. ¡°Here, Caville. I¡¯ve prepared a present for you.¡± Elody held out her present to Caville. The maids were full of anticipation and excitement. Caville tore off the wrapper with his clumsy hands, he was surprised to see a big, fluffy rabbit doll. Caville picked them up and turned them over in his hands, letting his eyes roam freely over every stitch so lovingly made. He raised his eyes to Elody, who had that look in her eye, caught between pride and fear of rejection. Before Elody could speak, he hugged the rabbit doll tightly with all the strength his little hand could muster. ¡°I love it!¡± His lovely appearance urged out a unified squeal from the maids, ¡°Oh, my!¡± Elody was relieved to see his expression. The doll she gave him was hand-crafted by herself and Caville seemed to really love the present. She considered her gift as a huge sess. ¡°Thank you, dear wife.¡± Although the doll had uneven ears and was wed in several ces, Caville didn¡¯t seem to mind those imperfections. If anything, Caville hugged the doll even tighter. He then sent a big smile towards Elody. ¡°Here¡­. This is the present I¡¯ve prepared for you, wife. Norman, the gift, please.¡± ¡°Yes, your grace.¡± Norman held out the gift he had hidden behind his back. The maids tried to contain their excitement. Elody opened the present box that Caville gave her. Her eyes widened at the unexpected surprise. It was a ss jar filled with candies. There¡¯re sugar covered fruit jellies, liquorice of all-sorts, sour candies, and others. But the candies weren¡¯t what caught her eye. It was the letter that sat right beside it. Elody quickly picked up the card and began reading its contents. The paper was scribbled with Caville¡¯s handwriting. The letter contained only two short sentences. [Thank you. I love my wife the most.] Elody was touched. It hasn¡¯t been long since Caville learned how to write, so his handwriting was a bit messy, but it was enough to warm Elody¡¯s heart. From the bottom of her heart, Elody was grateful. It was the best birthday present she had ever received. * * * After the birthday party, both Elody and Caville washed up and changed into their night garments. Then, they immediately sat down and began arranging the presents they received one by one. They were enthusiastic at first, but not long after, they started to doze off and went into a deep slumber. Their small bodies were sprawled side by side on a warm, fluffy nket. The maids couldn¡¯t help but smile at the sight. ¡°Oh my! How lovely they are!¡± Elody¡¯s hairpin, which was given by Brien, was pinned into Caville¡¯s fluffy ck hair. Marie and Emily giggled at the sight of their antics. As they were about to carry both children to the bed. Marie discovered something. ¡°Oh, what could this be?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Marie¡¯s gaze happened to fall onto the little scrawls on one side of the wall. It was a scribble marked by Elody to keep track of Caville¡¯s height every year. ¡°Look at this, it¡¯s so cute.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t help but feel that they are growing up too fast¡­.¡± ¡°I suppose so.¡± After the two children were put to bed, Marie and Emily left the bedroom and closed the door gently. Before long, two additional lines marked the wall, indicating their new heights. Caville grew one inch (2.54 cm) taller and Elody grew a bit as well. A year passed by quickly and the seasons changed. Seasons fade in and out like soft lubies, their transitions slow but never faltering. First came spring, in every hue of pastels, the gardens were filled with newly sprung grass and blooming flowers. Then, summer prances in shades so vibrant the fair-goers shade their eyes. Nextes autumn, an ever-changing mosaic of scarlets and gold. Lastly,es winter with its icy hooves sparkling in a sun that has lost its heat. Soon, the seasonal carousel isplete for another year as spring hase to wake up the empire once again. * * * Throughout the year, Elody¡¯s daily schedule was packed without a break. She had to visit the library to study medicine, manage thend¡¯s affairs, and teach Caville how to read and write. Not to mention, Elody also had to regrly collect the herbs she had nted with the help of several maids. ¡°Madame, this is a weed, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± The weather was gorgeous that day. Clouds drift by on the most rxed of breezes, helping their eyes to appreciate the bluebird sky all the more. Seeing the pleasant weather, the maids brought a couple of baskets which consisted of fresh bread sandwiches, quiche, and sausage rolls, in case the duchess decides to have a pic. ¡°The sky is very beautiful today!¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a perfect day to harvest the herbs, madame.¡± Marie and Anna would always apany Elody whenever she went to harvest the herbs. Anna was fond of flowers and nts, and she liked gardening. So when she heard that the duchess wanted to grow herbs of her own, she immediately volunteered to help. Eight-year-old Caville was still smaller than his peers, but his height has grown quite a bit. He has also be more lively than before. ¡°Caville, would you like to walk with me?¡± ¡°Of course, wife!¡± It has be a habit for Elody to take a stroll with Caville in the gardens on sunny afternoons. Frankly, it¡¯s simr to walking a dog¡­. Sometimes, she¡¯d even devote most of her spare time just to watch Caville train. ¡®Hmm¡­ He¡¯s improved.¡¯ His posture was no longer sloppy and he seemed more confident in wielding the sword. ¡®As expected of a genius.¡¯ Then, Elody approached Brien with a proud smile on her face. ¡°He¡¯s improved a lot, hasn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Yes. He¡¯s a talented one.¡± Elody had a strong personality. If the lesson seemed too difficult, she would not hesitate to argue with Brien and lower his demands. ¡°Speaking of which, will you be watching today¡¯s lesson as well, your grace?¡± ¡°I will¡­ unless Caville refuses to have me here.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Brien then turned his gaze towards Caville. Hoping his re would shoo her away. Unfortunately, things didn¡¯t go too well. Upon hearing Elody¡¯s words, Caville pouted his lips and shook his head, as if telling her not to go. Brien couldn¡¯t be more disappointed. It seems that he¡¯ll have to suffer for quite a while¡­. ¡°Caville¡¯s still a baby. Just let it go until he matures.¡° ¡°Well, is there a baby this big? Babies are called babies for a reason.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a baby in my eyes.¡± Brien could only shake his head after hearing Elody¡¯s words. In Elody eyes, Caville would still be a baby no matter how much he grows up. Even if he turns into an adult, he would forever be Elody¡¯s baby. Elody was so stubborn and adamant about this fact that Brien could only grumble and continued with his training. After spending a year together, Caville and Brien had be attached to each other. Caville slowly opened up to him and was no longer afraid. The fear that was holding his growth in swordsmanship slowly diminished until it was gone and thus his skill grew by leaps and bounds. Other than teaching Caville, Brien was also in charge of managing the estate¡¯s knights. Elody¡¯s decision was proven to be correct. Within less than a year, Brien managed to reinforce many knights into their militia. The knights¡¯ quarters and training grounds situated in the renovated castle were now packed with existing knights and apprentices. ¡°Madame, I think we¡¯ll have to recruit more servants into the mansion.¡± ¡°Alright, Norman. You take care of recruiting the new servants.¡± ¡°Understood, your grace. I¡¯ll get right to it.¡± As the people in the estate increased, the workload for the servants increased as well. The small number of servants were struggling to keep up with the new chores every day. When Norman saw they were scrambling to keep up the pace, he finally decided to ask for the duchess¡¯ permission to hire new workers. A few days ago, the knighthood ceremony was held, and Caville was finally dubbed as a knight. The ceremony was conducted by Sir Vedos. Several qualified apprentices were also appointed as knights. The kneeling squires would swear an oath of allegiance to the duke. Then the master of the ceremony would dub the new knight on the shoulders with a sword. Throughout the ceremony, Caville seemed anxious as he was not used to the presence of so many people. In order to calm him down, Elody would hold his hand and smile at the child, as if telling him that everything¡¯s alright. Suddenly, at that very moment, an idea struck Elody¡¯s mind. The idea was to repair and renovate the mansion¡¯s greenhouse and build aboratory next to it. Elody could have done this sooner, but she was too busy dealing with Caville¡¯s affairs. ¡°Madame, the construction workers will arrive tomorrow.¡± At Norman¡¯s words, Elody put down her mug of cocoa and said ¡°Yes. How long will the construction take?¡± ¡°Not too long, as there¡¯s very little to repair.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. Oh, right! I was supposed to go to the market with Caville today.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve heard. Marie and Sir Vedos will apany you, your grace.¡± ¡°Alright. Though it seems that Caville doesn¡¯t want to go.¡± ¡°Well, it is his first time going outside the mansion.¡± Norman smiled like a benevolent grandfather and looked towards Elody and Caville. Throughout the conversation, Caville sat next to Elody. Elody sighed and shifted her gaze towards Caville. He was well-fed and raised with care all year round. However, it seemed that he had be overly attached to Elody, he couldn¡¯t bear the thought of being separated from her. Caville was still afraid of tall adults and crowded ces. His symptoms had improved¡­ but without Elody beside him, he¡¯d still be awfully anxious. ¡®He may have developed separation anxiety¡­.¡¯ Elody looked at Caville quietly and Caville stared back at her, his round eyes blinked innocently. At this rate, he wouldn¡¯t be able to join the war without Elody beside him. ¡®But¡­ I¡¯ll only be a burden if I follow him to the battlefield. I might even put Caville in danger.¡¯ ¡®Should I distance myself from him¡­?¡¯ Elody thought for a moment, but she couldn¡¯t do that. ¡°Wife, do we have to go?¡± Caville said with his puppy dog eyes. ¡®How could I separate myself from my cute baby?¡¯ Furthermore, Caville always listened to Elody. He was a sweet and gentle child. If Elody scolded him, he would listen to her, when she told Caville to do something, he¡¯d obey hermands. Caville was very obedient, just like a well-behaved puppy. ¡°Yes, we have to go. I have some herbs I¡¯d like to buy.¡± The mansion had a lot of herbs and most of them had been harvested. However, it still wasn¡¯t enough. Herb samples from other regions were also needed. So, Elody had no choice but to go to the market and check the items that the merchants sold. ¡°Madame, madame! The carriage is ready!¡± said Marie as she approached Elody with an excited face. Marie was a tall, red-haired maid. She was kind, cheerful, and bright, perhaps that¡¯s what drew Elody to her. It didn¡¯t take a long time for them to be friends. ¡°Alright. Let us go, Caville.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody smiled at Caville¡¯s sulky face. He loathed the idea of going outside the mansion. Nevertheless, he¡¯d still follow Elody wherever she goes. Elody then buttoned up Caville¡¯s attire and walked with him to the carriage, hand in hand. * * * The market was more lively than Elody thought it would be. The shops were stuffed and the footpaths were crowded with stalls. A myriad of spices embellished a bright and overflowing market stall giving off a sweet redolent smell. People continued to bustle around the busy marketce, browsing through an assortment of vibrantly colored stalls, and asionally buying an item that catches their eye. Elody paused for a moment to survey the mboyant scene. Some stand excitedly near a corner of a stall brimming with eager excitement, lovers strolled hand in hand, casually browsing, whilst housewives hustled, bustled, and haggled over the price of fruits and other imported merchandise. Everyone¡¯s expressions seemed bright. Perhaps it was due to the reduction of taxes to half. This reduced rent may have lessened the residents¡¯ burdens. Elody smiled softly at the cheerful atmosphere. She then held Caville¡¯s hand and continued to look around. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of people here. Be careful, your grace.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you. Sir Vedos.¡± Brien acted like he¡¯s actually worried about Elody, but truthfully, his gaze kept drifting to the redhead beside him. Surprisingly, Marie didn¡¯t seem to hate his stares either. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Trantor: Latte ¡®Look at them¡­.¡¯ Elody sighed at the lovebirds in exasperation. Brien and Marie were of simr age. Both didn¡¯t have a lover and they were often caught stealing nces at each other. ¡°Oh, look over there. Madame!¡± The sudden call broke Elody¡¯s train of thought, her eyes gradually fell onto the object of attraction, a cavalcade. ¡°It¡¯s gorgeous!¡± ¡°Wow¡­.¡± They seemed to be peddlers from a foreign country as they were donning exquisite outfits. The costumes with striking patterns lit up the day, a riot of color to rival any gardener¡¯s paradise. The cavalcade was attracting all wandering eyes and pervaded everyone¡¯s senses. Beautiful colors surrounded the streets making it quite a sight. However, merchants on the streets seemed to have a sullen expression, they were dissatisfied because the foreign merchants took the attention of their customers. ¡°They¡¯re the famous merchant guild, Rhondia, right? I heard they sell the best goods in the whole continent¡­. They must havee a long way to our territory!¡± ¡°Looks like they¡¯re on the way to the capital.¡± ¡°Yes, I guess so! I¡¯ve heard of how famous they are¡­. Woah!¡± Suddenly, a strong smell of perfume loitered over us creating a subtle atmosphere. The aroma is warm and inviting, but the fragrance was¡­ musky. Brien¡¯s expression hardened for a moment, while Marie¡¯s cheeks turned pink like roses, the color so vivid against her pale, freckled skin. ¡®Um¡­.¡¯ The perfume seemed familiar to her. Elody thought she¡¯d roughly remember seeing it in the novel. ¡®Ah, that¡¯s right!¡¯ There was a chapter in which the female protagonist misused a perfume. It was a famous perfume that came from the East, not themon ones, but rather, the ones to seduce the opposite sex. Of course, the peddlers didn¡¯t just sell that one type of perfume. They also soldmon vors like floral or fruity scents. Unexpectedly, the heroine used the wrong perfume, and in the end, the male lead, Caville, had to save the female lead who was in a difficult situation because of the paralyzing aroma¡­. Then, there is a scene where their lips collided into each other while hiding together in a narrow ce. In short, the perfume led them to their first kiss¡­. Elody nced at Caville, who held her hand tightly. My baby¡­kissed¡­. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, wife?¡± Elody shook her head at Caville¡¯s innocent question. Meanwhile, Brien and Marie were blushing, both faces burned bright as they coughed away their embarrassment. Suddenly, a brilliant idea shed into Elody¡¯s mind. ¡®Why don¡¯t I study perfumery?¡¯ Perfumes were fairly lucrative items. Elody would be able to bring in a lot of money if she were to seed in selling them. ¡®It¡¯d be good if I could get a sample or two.¡¯ ¡°Marie, are you going to buy that perfume?¡± ¡°Oh! um¡­ you needn¡¯t worry! Children don¡¯t need to know.¡± ¡®But¡­it¡¯s just perfume¡­.¡¯ ¡°¡­No, I¡¯d like to buy one too.¡± ¡°Huh? Your grace?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to research and study perfumery. I¡¯d like to sell them so I can gain profit. Not that one of course, but the regr ones.¡± At Elody¡¯s words, Marie became even more embarrassed and confused, her mind scattered like a scared rabbit as she blinked multiple times. ¡®How does she know about the perfume when I didn¡¯t tell her about it? Marie thought that Elody knew because another maid told her. It must have been Emily, who usually enjoys mischievous jokes. ¡®That bbermouth! How could she say such things to a young girl¡­!¡¯ She suddenly felt awkward, even going as far as attempting to hide her face behind her lean fingers. She could feel the heat growing in her cheeks. By now they must have been as red as ripe strawberries. Unable to deal with the embarrassment, Marie ran away, saying she had things to do. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Ahem¡­,¡± Brien coughed and awkwardly fiddled his red ear. ¡®Why are they so shy when they¡¯ve just met? It¡¯s embarrassing to watch.¡¯ Elody clicked her tongue in disapproval and held Caville¡¯s hand. As she started to look around, she noticed that the market had be even more crowded. ¡°That¡¯s quite the crowd. Sir Vedos, don¡¯t take your eyes off of Caville.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand¡­.¡± All of a sudden, a swarm of people started rushing towards a merchant that sold goods at a ridiculously cheap price and the streets becamepletely overcrowded. Suddenly, a person crashed into Elody. ¡°Oh no, wait¡­!¡± Elody identally let go of Caville¡¯s hand and he got caught in the crowd that kept flowing down the wide avenue. A pile of people continued to pass by and Elody was pushed back for a long time. The market was hectic and they were trapped in an endless sea of people. Elody couldn¡¯t see which way Caville was headed. She couldn¡¯t even see if she was going to bump into a wall or crash into a person. Finally, Elody managed to get away from the hordes. She looked back at the many people that crowded the streets and searched for Caville, but he was nowhere to be found. She started to move amongst the crowd, her eyes darting more wildly with each passing second. Then, she saw a tall figure standing in the corner of the road. ¡°Sir Vedos!¡± ¡°Your grace!¡± ¡°What should I do? I lost Caville!¡± Brien¡¯s expression immediately darkened and Elody panicked. She called out Caville¡¯s name in a quivering voice, hoping he would shout back, but to no avail. ¡°Caville!¡± she shouted, as it became even louder until many heads were turned in her direction. It was too dangerous for him to be alone. Elody¡¯s sight suddenly caught on to a dim light which oozed through a narrow gap in the alleyway. Without a second thought, she looked down the stretch of the alley, and there he was, his small figure could be seen from the shadows. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody¡¯s heart, which was pounding nervously, finally calmed down. She couldn¡¯t be more relieved to have found him. ¡®But who are those people?¡¯ Next to Caville, were two boys that surrounded him. They didn¡¯t look much older than Caville, however, they were indeed taller than him. ¡°Hey! You were adopted by a rich merchant, weren¡¯t you? ¡°His clothes seem expensive. Let¡¯s take it away!¡± It was a bad situation. ¡®They¡¯re¡­thugs!¡¯ Elody quickly approached them. ¡°Stop!¡± Elody shouted. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Wife¡­.¡± Caville was shedding tears. He was confused and surprised. When Elody stretched out her arm, Caville immediately ran towards her and gave her a big hug. ¡°¡­What? Wife? You¡¯re telling me you¡¯re married? You? A seven, no, eight-year-old kid?¡± ¡°You hit the jackpot, huh,¡± said the two children as they chuckled at their own remarks. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with these people?¡¯ ¡°Did you guys hit my baby?¡± Elody retorted. ¡°¡­No, we didn¡¯t hit him. What do you want?¡± The boy with freckles on his face asked menacingly. ¡°Who are you? How do you know Caville?¡± said Elody. ¡°We were in the same orphanage as him. Why?¡± ¡°Orphanage?¡± ¡°Yes, we ran away from the orphanage, with dignity! I¡¯ve had enough of the boss¡­¡± The freckled boy paused. ¡°He¡¯d beat us up from time to time¡­¡± ¡°Others got adopted to rich families while we became pickpockets¡­.¡± ¡°Hey! I told you not to say that in front of anyone!¡± He fumed. ¡°What?!¡± The boy with freckles was outraged by his aplice¡¯s slip of the tongue. Out of the banter, they red out of anger towards each other. Elody sighed. ¡°Caville, are you alright? Were you scared?¡± Caville nervously hugged Elody¡¯s waist and clutched her clothes tightly. ¡°Look at that coward, are you hiding behind your wife¡¯s skirt?¡± ¡°HEY! You better keep your mouths shut.¡± Elody snarled. The two boys seemed a little surprised by Elody¡¯s sudden shout. They bit their lips as if she had broken their pride and ego. ¡°You¡­ you little!¡± The boy full of freckles raised his hand as if to intimidate her, but Elody was not scared. Her face was red with suppressed rage, and when the boy tried to set a finger on her shoulder, she swung around and mentally snapped. ¡°Argh!¡± She grabbed the boy¡¯s hair and pinned him into the wall. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare raise your hand towards me, you insolent child.¡± ¡°Alright! Alright! Let me go already!¡± Then, Elody tightened her grip. ¡±If an adult scolds you, you obey them. Understood?¡± ¡°Ahhhhh! Hey, do something about her!¡± Then, the child next to him immediately rushed to Elody. But Brien, who appeared just in time, stopped the child. ¡°Madame, are you all right? But¡­ what are you doing?¡± Elody released her grip from the boy¡¯s hair and whisked the hairs that remained on her palm. When they saw Brien, the two boys looked dejected. They turned their gaze to the sword on Brien¡¯s waist. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Who are these children?¡± ¡°They used to live in the same orphanage as Caville.¡± ¡°¡­Let¡¯s get out of here!¡± the two whimpered as they ran away in fear. Elody clicked her tongue with regret. ¡®I should have scolded them more.¡¯ ¡°Huh? What¡¯s that?¡± asked Elody. The freckled child had dropped something on the ground. ¡°It¡¯s an old brooch, isn¡¯t it?¡± imed Brien. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Seeing as the gems glow, I think it¡¯s an artifact.¡± Elody looked at the brooch Brien handed over. It was her first time seeing an artifact. Brien was right. Pulsing from the gem was a strange, bright light. Artifacts meant relics containing ancient magic. They¡¯re usually created by mages. It was a huge luxury that only the greatest of the nobles could have. Artifacts were, in short, disposable magic tools made from specific spells. Of course, the older it is, the more valuable it bes. Artifacts containing real ancient magic were rare in the first ce. Then, a sniffling sound could be heard. Elody turned her head and nced at Caville. ¡°Caville, are you alright? Look at me.¡± Caville stopped crying and looked at Elody. ¡°You were afraid, weren¡¯t you? My poor baby¡­¡± The moment he got separated from Elody, everything went ck. His face paled and his feet gave out. He was afraid he¡¯d never get to see Elody again. Caville then hugged Elody tighter. He cherished the warmth of Elody¡¯s gentle touch. He was frightened out of his wits when her hand slipped out of his grip. Caville was terrified of never seeing Elody again. Just the mere thought of the idea emptied his heart. Never would he have ever imagined that behind the dark days in the orphanage, someone would love him unconditionally. Her aqua tinted eyes would brighten at the sight of him as if he was her most precious person in the whole world. Her existence brightened his world and he didn¡¯t want to part with her. Only after the encounter with those pickpockets did he realize how much he treasured Elody. When they were identally separated, Caville¡¯s vision went ck. His heart was racing and he couldn¡¯t breathe, it felt as if he was drowning in despair. All he wanted to do was curl up into a ball and wait for Elody to save him. Suddenly, two boys stunned him out of the endless wave of people. They were shouting at Caville and their stands were menacing, yet Caville couldn¡¯t hear a thing. All he could think about was Elody. ¡®You left me.¡¯ ¡®She showered me with care and love every day, walked with me in her free time, yet she still abandoned me in the end.¡¯ Just as the dimming light in Caville¡¯s heart was about to disappear, Elody¡¯s sudden emergence broke him out of his stupor. Nevertheless, the anxiety that filled Caville¡¯s lungs still didn¡¯t subside. ¡®Elody might abandon me.¡¯ The paranoia and anxiety were eating Caville alive. ¡®No! She can¡¯t ever abandon me!¡¯ Caville¡¯s expression turned dark. ¡®I can¡¯t be abandoned¡­.¡¯ He was afraid. The elders of the orphanage always said so. ¡®You were abandoned for a good reason. Useless bastard!¡¯ ¡®You rampallian!¡¯ Dirty curses would hurl out of their mouths. Outcast by his family and frightened of nature and society alone, he had nowhere to call home. Lonely, starved with warmth, the little boy stared into the dark abyss. Elody said the adults were nothing, but those painful words couldn¡¯t be easily forgotten, and they left a deep wound in his heart. The memory he tried to suppress began to resurface and all of them came out like sharp thorns. Scratching his heart until it bleeds once more. ¡®You¡¯ll be abandoned.¡¯ ¡®You deserve it.¡¯ ¡®You are just trash that nobody wants.¡¯ The nauseating whispers filled his thoughts and tortured his mind. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Trantor: Latte Caville tried to stop his tears and slowly released the arm that wrapped around Elody¡¯s waist. ¡®I can¡¯t bother my wife any longer. If I keep bothering her, I¡¯ll get thrown away.¡¯ Caville thought he might have gotten toofortable with Elody. Every day, all he did was cry and asked for help. He felt as if he had be¡­ a burden. He felt unworthy of being loved but he still clung to it. He clung to her kindness, her hugs, and even the smallest whispers of her love. He knew that this happiness was not evesting but he didn¡¯t want her to leave him. He would rather be abused again than be abandoned because he fullyprehended the pain that it would cause. ¡®You can hit and harass me¡­.¡¯ ¡°Wife¡­.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t bother you anymore.¡± ¡®So don¡¯t throw me away.¡¯ Caville wept bitter tears. Fear crept over him like some hungry beast, holding him captive. He feared being abandoned, he feared rejection, but most of all, he feared to lose the person that loved him the most. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Caville?¡± Elody stared at Caville with a worried look and stroked his head. ¡®Why is he so retrospective all of a sudden?¡¯ ¡°It must have been very scary¡­¡± Brien looked at them pitifully and said, ¡°I guess so¡­:¡± Elody held Caville in her arms again and stroked his back. The weariness originating from his face could be seen clearly during this time. It made Elody¡¯s stomach congeal in sadness as the heavy burden appears. ¡°Speaking of which, are there many children like that here? Seems like they were stealing to survive,¡± said Brien, curious as to how many children were living in poverty. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve seen a lot of homeless children. But the numbers have increasedtely. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s enough food for them to eat¡­¡± Elody said with a sigh. As soon as the construction of the greenhouse¡¯s finished, Elody thought she¡¯d have to take a look around the territory. She had to do something to reduce poverty and help the poor get back on their feet. Suddenly, approaching footsteps could be heard echoing down the concrete walls. From around the corner came a man wearing fancy clothes. He had tanned skin and a tall build, but his expression showed desperation and anxiety. Sweat rolled down his skin in thick, salty beads, and his breath came in short gasps. As he tried to catch his breath, he asked with anxious eyes. ¡°Excuse me, have you seen these two little boys?¡± Brien and Elody exchanged nces at the man¡¯s words. ¡°Were you perhaps pickpocketed?¡± Brien inquired. ¡®Those children stole from him too?¡¯ Hearing Brien¡¯s words, the man¡¯s eyebrows rose in surprise and yelled, ¡°That¡¯s right! Did you get robbed, too? Those thieving scoundrels¡­,¡± he said, ¡°Damn it! What¡¯s wrong with this ce?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Then, Elody asked the man with a wry face. ¡°What did you lose?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s my mother¡¯s legacy¡­ a brooch¡­ with a gem in the middle¡­ It¡¯s precious to me¡­.¡± ¡°Is this it?¡± When Elody lifted the artifact, the man quickly took the brooch from her hands. ¡°That¡¯s right! Mother¡¯s brooch! Oh¡­thank heavens!¡± Unexpectedly, the man was so overjoyed that he started to cry. His tears burst forth like water from a dam, spilling down his face. Everyone went silent, casting uneasy nces, not knowing what to do in such an awkward situation. Despite being a grown-up, the man still cried like a baby. Even Caville was embarrassed to see him cry. Brien crumpled his forehead at the mortifying scene and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go back, madame.¡± ¡°Alright. Caville, do you want a piggyback ride?¡± At Elody¡¯s question, Caville shook his head. ¡°Then Brien shall carry you.¡± ¡°¡­Alright,¡± Caville said, not looking up from the floor as he spoke. Brien gently lifted Caville and put him on his back. Caville seemed dissatisfied, but he kept his mouth shut. He didn¡¯t want to trouble Elody anymore, so he let Brien carry him instead. Besides, he¡¯d be safer with Brien as he was a full-fledged adult. ¡°Please wait!¡± the man shouted as he caught the three who were about to turn their backs to leave. ¡°How did you find this?¡± The man¡¯s eyes were stern and he had a serious look on his face. ¡°Are you doubting us now?¡± Brien irked, smoldering underneath his stony expression. The man¡¯s words seemed to have irritated him. Frightened, the man quickly shook his hand and spoke, ¡°N-no! That¡¯s not it! Just¡­ I mean, I was just curious. I¡¯m sure those two boys stole this earlier¡­ but¡­ it¡¯s possible that you¡­ ordered them to do it¡­.¡± ¡°I am a proud knight of Cernois, and second inmand of the knights,¡± Brien said through clenched teeth, trying to control his frustration ¡°How dare you to doubt a person such as I¡­.¡± As he was about to grab him by the cor. Elody stepped up and stopped him. ¡°I was the one who picked it up!¡± Elody exined. ¡°The two boys dropped it when they were running away earlier.¡± The man, startled by Brien¡¯s sudden aggression, shifted his gaze towards Elody, and said. ¡°Oh¡­ this littledy is very smart. Thank you for finding my belongings and I apologize for not recognizing you, sir knight.¡± ¡®Littledy¡­? Why you little¡­¡¯ Elody turned 14 this year and she was still a short girl. Even so, the title ¡°littledy¡± was quite offensive to hear. ¡®I am not a littledy. I can¡¯t believe the words thate out of his mouth.¡¯ Not being able to read the mood and see Elody¡¯s unpleasant expression, the man continued to introduce himself. He kept smiling as if everything was fine. ¡°My name is Sirka, the owner of Rhondia,¡± he said as he politely introduced himself. Brien made a short, chortling sound, ¡°I see. Let¡¯s go, your grace.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Elody blinked at him, astonished. ¡°You¡¯re the owner of the famous merchant guild? Rhondia?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Elody¡¯s eyes brightened, and she immediately thought, ¡®This is an opportunity!¡¯ ¡°Hmm¡­ I returned your brooch, so does that mean that you owe me a favor?.¡± ¡°Yes, of course. You found my mother¡¯s memento¡­. I¡¯d like to return the favor by offering you a gift.¡± ¡°Thank you for your courtesy, but there¡¯s no need for that.¡± Elody replied, ¡°Instead, why don¡¯t you pay a visit to the duke¡¯s mansion?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Caville here is the Duke of Cernois. It¡¯d be wonderful if you¡¯re able to visit the mansion. When are you nning to leave the duchy?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I¡¯m thinking of staying here for another month or more¡­,¡± his words trailed off, ¡°The scenery here is very beautiful, so¡­.¡± Sirka seemed perplexed at Elody¡¯s sudden invitation to the duke¡¯s mansion. ¡°Then you muste to the mansion a few days before you leave.¡± ¡°¡­H-huh?¡± he stammered. ¡°Now, let us go, Sir Vedos!¡± As Elody ended the conversation, she held Brien¡¯s arm and dragged him outside the alleyway. ¡°Are you sure about this, your grace?¡± Brien asked, perplexed. Truthfully, Elody was also puzzled by her sudden and rash decision. She knows that it was ignorant and impulsive to have invited a stranger into their home. But¡­. Having business partners was an important factor in making money. To do so, she had to establish connections with the merchants. Therger their influences were, the better. That was why Elody did not have second thoughts, as he was the owner of the famous merchant guild, Rhondia. Regrettably, Eloldy didn¡¯t have anything to trade. ¡®But there¡¯s still a month¡­.¡¯ Elody had to prepare something worthy of trading before the month ends. There were some things she had thought about, but she hadn¡¯t experimented with them yet so she wasn¡¯t sure. Of course, even if Elody failed to make the trade, it was still a good opportunity to get acquainted with the owner of the famous merchant guild. Suddenly, Elody remembered the reason she visited the market in the first ce. ¡®The herbs!¡¯ ¡°Hurry up! We must go!¡± said Elody, as she hurried to the ce where the herbal dealer was. ¡°W-wait, Your grace!¡± As they ran, the three bumped into Marie, who looked surprised after seeing Caville¡¯s puffy eyes. ¡°Oh?! Your grace! Why are your eyes¡­ did you cry?¡± In response, Caville buried his head on Brien¡¯s shoulders and covered his face in shame. ¡°Oh,e on! We have no time!¡± Elody was in such a hurry that Marie failed to get a proper exnation regarding Caville¡¯s swollen eyes. It seemed that Elody¡¯s impatience ended the market outing instantaneously. * * * As soon as Elody returned to the mansion, the first thing she did was to organize the samples she had collected. Meanwhile, Caville went to wash off the dirt from their trip. ¡°Hmmm¡­.¡± Elody had stopped bathing Caville a few months ago. She couldn¡¯t keep washing him, as his body started to develop. As her recement, Elody ordered the butler, Norman, to bathe him. ¡®He¡¯s grown a lot, much more thanst year.¡¯ Norman was one of the few adults Caville had a friendly rtionship with. That¡¯s why she entrusted the job to him. She thought he¡¯d be perfect for it. Then, Elody organized a list of the purchased herbs and magic pills on the market. Most of the magic pills on the market were either fake or had low efficacy. Some of the low-quality ones might even cause the user to have permanent side effects. There were magic pills like therapies and painkillers that did work, s they cost way too much. ¡®It¡¯s too expensive.¡¯ Therefore,moners could only receive herbs from local merchants. But due to theirck of knowledge, they would dry the herbs and drink them with tea. Unbeknownst to them, by doing so the herbs would lose its effects. Moreover, the number of the sick and wounded increased greatly over the years so they had no choice but to go to the priest to ask for a cure. Unfortunately, there was no priest in Cernoir¡¯s territory. There used to be some, but now, only an empty temple remained. ¡®What should I make¡­?¡¯ If I didn¡¯t make a product of value in a month, I would have to put up a facade and do the best I can to establish a connection with them. I¡¯ll tell the servants to treat Sirka the best they can and I¡¯ll have to convince him toe again at ater time. ¡®I can¡¯t upset the guest, so it¡¯s better to treat them in high regard. I shall notify the chefs of the visit, and make them prepare some extravagant foods prior to the merchants¡¯ arrival.¡¯ There was a reason as to why Elody wanted to cooperate with the merchants. She wanted the trading system in thend to be developed so that even rtively smallmunities had ess to the markets. By doing so, she hoped to gain some revenue from stallholder fees and boost the local economy as shoppers used the peripheral services. However, other aristocrats would not be pleased with the idea. The reason was simple. The nobles scorned the merchants. If artisans and merchants controlled the trade of thend. It could pose a threat to their power and wealth. The same could be said of the previous duke. That¡¯s why, usually in the regions, themercial districts have not been developed. Leaving the potential for economic growth untouched. In Elody¡¯s eyes, the nobles were making themselves look like fools who only had greed for money and power. ¡°Wife¡­.¡± Elody turned around and saw Caville, who¡¯s all washed up, entered the bedroom. ¡°Are you done washing, Caville?¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± Caville seemed to still be traumatized by the incident in the market. He had been depressed ever since they arrived at the castle. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go to bed early tonight. I¡¯ll put you to sleep.¡± ¡°What about you, wife? Aren¡¯t you sleeping now?¡± ¡°I will sleepter, I still have things to do. I won¡¯t go anywhere since I¡¯ll be working here, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°Really? You¡¯re not leaving, are you?¡± ¡°Of course not. Where would I go? I¡¯ll always be by your side.¡± ¡°Okay¡­,¡± Caville reluctantly said as heid on the bed. Elody tucked Caville with a nket and slid into the bed next to him. She held his hand and said, ¡°Do you want me to sing you a luby?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, please,¡± he smiled at the idea. Then, Elody began to sing the luby she¡¯d always sung to him at bedtime and stroked his hair. Caville¡¯s breathing slowed as he sank into the gentle luby. ¡°Good night, my dear¡­.¡± After only minutes, the sleep pooled on his eyelids as his snuffles settled to a steady rhythm and wrapped in profound sleep. His sleeping figure was as cute as an angel. Elody kissed the back of Caville¡¯s hand, then gently peeled his hand off, and went back to continue on her work. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Trantor: Latte ¡°Hmm, what shall I make¡­.¡± Elody scattered a stack of papers on the floor and began to study the procedure of making magic pills. There were a lot of medicines Elody wanted to make, but the cost of the ingredients was too expensive. If the greenhouse wasplete, Elody could have grown it herself, but there was too little time. Growing herbs would take a while and who knows when the construction work will be finished? ¡°The quality of these herbs aren¡¯t too good,¡± Elody said with a sigh. Sheid down on her stomach, rolled her body on the floor, and pondered over her worries. As time went by, she found it more interesting to just roll around and procrastinate. ¡°Oh, is it raining?¡± The gentle tapping of raindrops could be heard against the windows. Seeing the drops trickle down the ss brought a sense of calmness within her. Elody went to the window and carefully unfastened the curtains to keep out the cold wind. She didn¡¯t want Caville to catch a cold. With eyes at rest in the way of dreams, Caville could also hear the quenching rain as it passed onto his dreams. Turns out, it was a memory of his past, a memory that flooded his mind like water rushing into a sinking ship¡­ For a moment, the world was a blur of dull colors but as he properly awoke, everything came into ce. He was stuck in a narrow cell. The room was dark, empty, and cold. In the silencees a low crackle of thunder, and the clouds unleashed a torrent of water. The fluorescent lights flickered as raindrops dripped from the ceiling. Then, the door opened only to reveal arge shadowed figure. It was an adult from the orphanage. He looked furious. The anger in his eyes burned with rage and hatred. ¡°Did you stir up trouble again today?¡± ¡°N-no! I¡¯m sorry. Please forgive me. Please¡­¡± Fear and sadness were all over Caville¡¯s face, but his eyes remained dry. He knows that if he even lets a fraction of his tears out, the rest will follow, a never-ending torrent of grief. ¡°You¡¯re useless trash! That¡¯s why you¡¯re abandoned! You want to get beat up again?!¡± Caville was scared and he was on the verge of crying. He tried to hold it in, he really did. Yet the tears still escaped his eyes, running away upon his cheeks as if he cannot bear yet another verbal assault and act of abuse. They would always me him for the tiniest faults that he made. Caville couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He prayed for the pain to stop. He wanted to escape this hellish nightmare. Suddenly, a tiny figure with pink hair appeared before his eyes. ¡®Elody!¡¯ Caville thought. He was relieved that his savior hade. However, something was off about her. She turned around faced him, then stood there and stared at him without saying anything. After a few moments of silence, Caville, who was dazed, called out to her. ¡°Elody?¡± he asked. But Elody did not answer. Instead, she kept staring directly at him, as if she was looking into his soul, with an eerie smile on her face. Then, she opened her mouth and said, ¡°Foolish child, you will always be abandoned.¡± The voice of an adult came out of Elody¡¯s mouth and it echoed inside his head. It was the same voice as the adults of the orphanage. Caville¡¯s eyes widened in horror, his mouth rigid and open. He shook his head mutely in disbelief as a strangled cry rent the air, only to recognize that it was his own voice. No, no, no! ¡°¡­.¡± Suddenly the sound of thunder rolled across the malevolent sky, and Caville snapped his eyes open. He was sweating profusely. His heart was still pounding with an adrenaline rush. He wondered whether it was a dream or reality and it took some time to realize where he was. Then, he slowly raised himself. ¡°Wife¡­.¡± He looked around only to find that Elody was nowhere to be seen. Disappointed, Caville got out of bed and wiped away the tears dripping on his face. ¡°Huh? Caville, are you awake?¡± As he was about to go out and look for Elody, he heard her voice from beside the bed. ¡°Did you have nightmares, again?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Elody stretched her arms towards Caville. After hesitating for a moment, Caville ran to her and she gently held him in her arms. It was warm. It was so warm that he could no longer hold back his tears. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t bother her.¡¯ ¡®You¡¯ll always be abandoned,¡¯ the nightmarish voice echoed through his head. That¡¯s what scared him the most. Sometimes he left wondering if it¡¯s better for him that they never meet. Maybe it would¡¯ve been better to let her fade from his life, back out of it like she was never there in the first ce. But he couldn¡¯t let her go. Elody patted Caville¡¯s back gently as he buried his face in her shoulders. ¡°You can cry. Just let your tears out until you feel better.¡± Elody sighed and hugged him tighter. Oftentimes, Caville would wake up from terrible nightmares. ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Why is she so kind to me? I¡¯m a useless child.¡¯ When he first became a duke, Caville couldn¡¯t adapt at all. He was afraid of all the adults. He thought that they¡¯d be like the adults in the orphanage. He was scared they¡¯d beat him up. But one day, Elody appeared. ¡°Hello,¡± she said with a smile. Elody didn¡¯t force him to do anything. She didn¡¯t even act like the butler who kept talking and desperately tried to get close to him. She just sat in front of Caville, who curled in the corner of the room and attentively gazed at him. She continued to observe him without saying anything. After a moment of silence, Caville gradually nced at Elody, curiosity ring in his pink eyes. Then, they stared at each other. Her hair was a glorious tumble of cmine-pink and it draped down softly curling along the ends. Her eyes were the glimmering color of turquoise, they were like beryl-green jewels that melted into the ocean. Then, a smile shed across her face. ¡°Do you want to hear a story?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Even though he didn¡¯t answer, Elody brought a book and started reading it. Truthfully, Caville longed for affection. He longed for someone to ept him for who he is, and Elody fulfilled that. Her kind gestures, her warmth, her hugs, and consoling words. It was all that he¡¯d ever wanted. His heart greatly moved and for the first time in his life, he was able to open his heart to someone. She was the answer to his loneliness. ¡°Shall we go back to sleep?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Elody wiped the tears off his cheeks. ¡°Then shall I entertain you with a shadow puppet show?¡± ¡°¡­What¡¯s that?¡± Caville asked curiously. ¡°Please wait.¡± Elody turned off the lights and lit up a candle. Then, she sat next to Caville and began to make shadows with her hands. From dogs to butterflies, rabbits to birds, to owls, and swans. Caville was amazed. He felt his lips stretched wider into a gaping grin and his eyebrows arched for the sky. He wasn¡¯t afraid anymore. That rainy night, sleep hung like a cloud, and Caville fell asleep within Elody¡¯s arms. The pain from his nightmare stopped and a small smile formed across his face. The next day, the two of them overslept. * * * ¡°Your grace, why do you look so sullen today?¡± Marie asked. Hearing her words, the other maids looked at Elody as they were also curious. ¡°Is there something bothering you, madame?¡± The maids were knitting, making fabrics, and chatting in the tailor room. Elody would oftene to the maids¡¯ workce and chat with them. The maids were amazed by the young duchess. They admired her who took interest in their work. The former duchess would have never tried to visit them in their workces. ¡°Nothing,¡± she said dully. The maids exchanged nces with a worried look. They had tried not to dwell on it, but they couldn¡¯t quite shake off the feeling that something was wrong. All-day long Elody had been sitting at the desk, her paperwork piling higher and higher. ¡°Ugh¡­,¡± she grunted with a sigh. Yesterday, she fell asleep without making any progress and the amount of work she had was stressing her out. While Elody was working on the herbs, Caville took a nap beside her. The maids grinned at the lovely scene, and then they started talking to one another. ¡°Tessie, you don¡¯t look good either. Are you perhaps sick?¡± ¡°Um¡­ it¡¯s nothing. I just have a stomachache.¡± ¡°Oh, is it that day?¡± Marie said. The maids looked at Tessie with a sad face, as if they had sympathized with her. ¡°If it hurts too much, go rest. I usually feel a little better after I put something warm on my stomach,¡± Marie advised. ¡°That¡¯s right, I do that too,¡± confirmed one of the maids. ¡°Do you want me to pluck out some Spirit Grass?¡± Anna said. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not quite fond of the taste,¡± Tessie replied. ¡°Really? I¡¯ve been eating it since I was a kid, so I think it¡¯s okay.¡± Elody was listening to the conversation and it piqued her interests. She began to ask, ¡°What¡¯s a Spirit Grass? Is it a herb?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing, madame. It¡¯s not a herb,¡± answered Anna as she slightly blushed. ¡°Then what is it?¡± Well, Anna would have exined it earlier if it had been a proper herb. Nevertheless, Elody still looked at Anna with desperate eyes. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ there¡¯s a grass we see every time we go to the field. It¡¯s a grass that looks exactly like the one in my neighborhood, so we used it instead of a painkiller.¡± Most grasses used as painkillers were known to be ineffective. Rather than working on the pain itself, it had numerous side effects. On the other hand, medicinal herbs that worked well were very expensive. ¡°But the results are minimal and the taste is very bitter,¡± Anna continued, ¡°so we don¡¯t use them most of the time.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s very bitter,¡± the other maids nodded in sympathy. ¡°Anna, where¡¯s the grass? Come and show it to me now!¡± Elody jumped up and urged Anna. Anna seemed puzzled, but she still went with her to the garden. Before she headed for the fields with Anna, Elody carried Caville on her back. The rest of the maids giggled at the sight. ¡°My¡­ the more I see her, the cuter she gets.¡± ¡°Right?¡± Marie said as she shifted her gaze towards the papers Elody had been working on, ¡°Oh, she left this¡­ I will take it to herter.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Asked one of the maids. As Marie gathered the papers, the maid next to her raised her eyebrows and said, ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t this ancientnguage?¡± ¡°Really?¡± The maids started to gather around the desk and nced at the piles of paper on top of it. Marie shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I told you! I think she knows how to do magic!¡± eximed the maid. ¡°Oh, it must be true¡­ ¡± ¡°So this is an ancientnguage? I don¡¯t even know what they look like¡­¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t these weird-looking texts ancient?¡± Marie quickly rose to reproach the maids, ¡°You didn¡¯t believe me when I said so before!¡± ¡°I thought she was just ying wizards and mages with the duke¡­¡± Everyone nodded at the maid¡¯s excuse, saying, ¡°We couldn¡¯t help it since she¡¯s still a young child.¡± Marie snorted at them. Of course, such reactions were natural. They were bound to underestimate her, as wizards were very rare throughout the continent. * * * ¡°Anna, is this the Spirit Grass?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s a weed, madame.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Elody realized why she hadn¡¯t heard of people using the Spirit Grass to relieve pain. ¡®It looks just like weeds!¡¯ ¡°I get confused a lot, too. No one used it in the first ce. Even in the small town where I lived, the only one who used these as painkillers was my grandfather.¡± Anna took the grass, put it in her mouth, chewed, and swallowed it. Her face crumpled in an instant. ¡°Yes, this is the one, madame.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Well, if you can tell by taste, shouldn¡¯t you just take a bite instead of swallowing it?¡¯ Curious, Elody also picked up one of the grass and thoughtlessly chewed on them. ¡°Madame, if you eat so much¡­!¡± ¡°Huh? Ahhhhh!¡± Suddenly, her legs gave out and she let out a painful cry. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Trantor: Latte It¡¯s too bitter. It was painfully bitter. ¡®I¡¯ve never tasted something so bitter in my life.¡¯ Her tongue ached. ¡°Are you all right, wife?¡± Caville, who woke up on the way, was helping Elody plucking the grass as he did every time he came out into the field. He was about to cry when Elody started screaming. He was afraid something bad might happen to her. ¡°Huuk! rgh!¡± Elody choked. Then, she reassured Caville but continued toin about the lingering taste. ¡®Will I lose my sense of taste?¡¯ Amidst her worries, Anna grinned and said, ¡°I used to have the same reaction as you, madame. But now, I¡¯ve adjusted to the bitterness. It¡¯s because I¡¯ve eaten the Spirit Grass since I was very young.¡± ¡°Oh, but why don¡¯t people use this? It¡¯d be convenient to use it as a medicinal herb.¡± ¡°Well¡­ the effects are too weak and it doesn¡¯t work very well. My grandparents also said that it¡¯s better to go to the clinic.¡± ¡°..¡­.¡± ¡°Of course, medicines from doctors are rather expensive. Most people don¡¯t know how to make medicine and the rate of literate people in this country is too low¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s understandable¡­.¡± The vor was too pungent, the bitter undertone would persist even if the grass was dried and boiled into an herbal tea. ¡°Why is the name Spirit Grass?¡± ¡°No one knows the exact name, but that¡¯s what my grandfather called it. Even poor people like us could get medicines from nature, so he thought of them as a gift from the spirits.¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s too bitter for that though. ¡®The Devil¡¯s Grass¡¯ would have been a more appropriate name,¡± responded Elody, who was about to cry because of the bitter taste in her mouth. Anna smiled and said, ¡°Madame, are you really going to make magic pills?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Anna stared at Elody in a state of wonder. Only rare individuals have the potential to be mages. Someone gifted with a keen intellect and unwavering discipline may walk the path of the mage and those who seed will be greatly worshipped. In the distant past, a legendary mage passed on his magic powers through his descendants and countless of his disciples recorded them in ancientnguages. But books in ancientnguages were mostly monopolized by the temples and designated as forbidden books. It was also quite difficult to decipher ancientnguages as some only knew part of thenguage. However, Elody was a cunning viin in the novel, so she was naturally fluent in ancientnguages and talented in magic as well. For the first time in her life, she thanked the author for the viiness setup. ¡°First of all, I¡¯m going to do some research on Spirit Grass. Anna, can you tell me how to differentiate them?¡± ¡°Yes, of course, madame, but¡­.¡± Anna taught Elody how to distinguish the spirit grass from the weeds. Unfortunately, the method couldn¡¯t fully guarantee the authenticity of the nts. The next day, Elody took Caville, Anna, and Marie to harvest more Spirit Grass. As their research around the Spirit Grass progressed, the construction of the greenhouse and theboratory was finallypleted after a week. Since then, Elody has been spending her time researching inside theb. ¡°Madame, what do you think of theb?¡± ¡°It¡¯s perfect. You¡¯ve done an amazing job, Norman.¡± ¡°Thank you, I¡¯m d to hear that. Shall I tell the maids to bring the food here instead?¡± ¡°Yes please, I¡¯d appreciate that.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll bring it over right away, your grace,¡± Norman said as he gave a benevolent smile. A considerable amount of money was spent into the construction, still, he poured his heart and soul into decorating theb and it turned out perfect. He couldn¡¯t be more d to see the results. ¡°Caville, I¡¯ll be making medicine from now on.¡± ¡°Medicine? What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s something that will help youter.¡± She had hoped to provide medicine that will be able to cure numerous diseases and injuries on the battlefield. She wanted to help him in any way possible. ¡°Madame! We¡¯ve nted all the herbs as you¡¯ve mentioned,¡± said Anna. ¡°Alright, thank you for your hard work.¡± ¡°It is my pleasure, your grace.¡± Marie and Anna looked around theb, smiling at the beautiful interior. ¡®Indeed, Norman did a great job.¡¯ ¡°The greenhouse is remarkable, madame! I can¡¯t wait to nt more herbs and flowers here!¡± ¡°I¡¯d like that. But do take care of your health, Anna. You tend to overwork yourself.¡± ¡°Thank you, but you needn¡¯t worry, madame! I¡¯m perfectly fine!¡± Anna had an iparably bright face, she had learnt how to care for a garden since she was young and she loved it still. The neatly raised beds of herbs and perfect paths of pea shingles in-between, marked with varnished cedar nks, were all her. Seeing her capability in managing the greenhouse, Elody decided to leave everything in her hands. ¡°Caville, I¡¯m going to do some medical research, so you should study your writing.¡± Hearing her stern tone, Caville answered, ¡°¡­yes, wife.¡± while nodding solemnly. Marie and Anna giggled at the sight and quietly left theb. ¡°Even if the book isn¡¯t interesting, you have to read it, Caville. You have to put up with it if you want to be a great adult.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Caville was sitting next to her while reading a book. He no longer read fairy tales. His literary skill had advanced to a much higher level, so Elody started giving him moreplicated books. The topic of the book that he read was about militaryw. Since Caville was young, Elody taught and told him to study as much as he can. She wanted him to simply progress and develop towards an improved state of knowledge. So that it might help himter on the battlefield. * * * Sirka, the owner of Rhondia, sent a letter saying he would visit the mansion on the day he leaves the territory. ¡°Treat them with the utmost respect. He¡¯s the owner of the famous merchant guild. It¡¯ll be helpful if I could be acquainted with them,¡± said Elody. Norman nodded in response. Sirka was the first guest to visit the mansion ever since Caville became the duke of the estate. So Norman gathered the head maid, Julia, and the head chef, Bill to start a meeting and discuss the preparations. * * * A few days before the promised day, Elody finally seeded in developing the medicine. She finally made it after pulling an all-nighter for a few days. Despite the inconvenience, Caville remained calm the whole time. He didn¡¯t whine and Elody was grateful for that. ¡°I¡¯m finally done!¡± Elody was proud of her achievement. However, her growth was halted due to theck of rest. ¡°Goodbye to my height¡­.¡± Even so, the result was so sessful that she was fine with giving up 5cm of her height. It is not easy to make magic pills as they are created from mana. The appropriate amount of mana must be inserted into the pills and the materials should also be added through mana. Elody was only able to seed after two failures. Her first attempt failed miserably as she made a liquid potion instead of actual tablets. Initially, Elody was in such a rush that she had no choice but to be the guinea pig in her own experiment. This led to her having several burn marks on her body. She forcefully hurt herself and used the medicine to check its effectiveness. ¡®Oh¡­!¡¯ Elody realized that the Spirit Grass had little to no effect. However, the use of mana was able to maximize its therapeutic sess. Unfortunately, the bitterness remained the same. ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± Elody couldn¡¯t tell if the medicine worked or if it was the bitterness that made her forget the pain from her wounds. ¡®It feels like the pain is shifting from my body to my tongue, is this¡­?¡± Elody tried various methods to remove the taste. One of them was to use the same technique of removing bitterness from a radish. First, she soaked it in water. Then, she sprinkled it with salt and sugar. The effect remained the same and the bitterness decreased a little, but something was stillcking. It was the form of the medicine. ¡®Pills would¡¯ve been much better than potions.¡¯ Conventional solid, oral dosage forms offer the advantages of greater dosing uracy, improved transportability, and lower costpared to liquids. Therefore, they are more simple and convenient to use. Moreover, medicines were generally liquid preparations, so pills would¡¯ve been considered as an innovation. After that, Elody was immersed in the experiment again and overcame her second failure. As a result of the continuous injection of mana, the bitterness was further abbreviated. In the end, she was able to make the perfect pill. ¡°It¡¯s finallypleted!¡± Elody wanted to test the medicine on other people, so she decided to visit the maids while bringing Caville along. ¡°Excuse me, is anyone here suffering from stomachache?¡± she asked while holding Caville¡¯s hand. In response to her question, all the maids shook their heads. All except for Tessie, who had recentlyined of menstrual pain. Hence, Elody gave the medicine to Tessie, and then she went on to the knight¡¯s training grounds with Caville to find more tests subjects. Once she arrived, she immediately approached Brien and said, ¡°Sir Vedos, are you hurt somewhere?¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± He asked with a wistful face. ¡°Would you mind if I injure you a little?¡± ¡°Huh? I¡¯d rather not¡­¡± He quivered, his eyes widen in fear. ¡°Then, have any of the knights or soldiersined about their injuries?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± he replied, ¡°there¡¯s a lot of injured soldiers resting in the barracks.¡± ¡°Please take me to them.¡± ¡°Alright, madame,¡± Brien said as he proceeded to guide Elody and Caville to the barracks. Afterward, She opened the door, expecting the knights¡¯ greeting smile, but nonees. A heavy silence settled over them, thicker than the uneasy tension in the atmosphere. Turns out, their impression of the duchess was not very good. They saw her as a very strictdy who nags a lot. Then, they recalled their first meeting¡­ The barracks wasn¡¯t just a mess, it was a disaster zone. It looked like a drunken cyclone had erupted the weaponry across the floor and there was an overwhelming stench in the room. Elody¡¯s nose wrinkled in disgust, ¡°What is this smell? Get rid of this horrible mess!¡± The knights were much bigger than her, but she was not afraid to scold them. ¡°And you! Why aren¡¯t you sharpening your de?¡± ¡°¡­I apologize. I¡¯ll get right to it, your grace.¡± Some shifted ufortably in their seats and others grasped their sweaty, nervous hands. Elody had no knowledge regarding swordsmanship, but every time she visited them, she would not hesitate to nag around and scolded them to the core. Of course, they couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious at seeing her presence. ¡°Is anyone hurt?¡± Today, however, it seemed that she hade for another purpose. A knight, who was taking a rest, raised her hand upon hearing Elody¡¯s question. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Her name was Sr, she was a young knight who boasted outstanding swordsmanship skills. Even though she was a teenager, she has been acknowledged by Brien Vedos as one of the best knights in the order. Unlike the others though, Sr was not ufortable with Elody. Instead, Elody was the one who seemed ill at ease whenever she spoke to her. As Elody approached Sr, the knightplimented her saying, ¡°I am mesmerized by your beauty yet again, your grace.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Trantor: Latte Sr nced over, the corners of her lips fighting a smile, her eyebrows slightly raised. Elody looked away before that mischievous look of hers spread. Even though she knew of her noble status, she still found it entertaining to tease the young duchess. Her reactions were cute and she was the same age as her sister. She simply could not resist teasing her. A grin spread over Sr¡¯s face as Elody started approaching her. ¡°Sr, were you injured?¡± Sr shook her head saying, ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. Ren was the one who got injured during training.¡± Ren, who was Sr¡¯s lover and a fellow knight, rose unsteadily to his feet and winced to cross the floor. ¡°Does it hurt a lot?¡± Elody asked. ¡°Yes, madame. Fortunately, I was the only one who got injured,¡± he whimpered as the pain spiraled all across his body. Purple welts were scattered across his abdomen like a disease. It hurt to breathe and he wondered if some of his ribs were cracked. ¡°Use this,¡± Elody said as she gave him a dose of the medicine she made. ¡°Um¡­ May I ask what this is?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a medicine that I made.¡± ¡°Will it cure my wounds?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t heal them, but it can relieve the pain. Go ahead and try it.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± said Ren. After a short pause he went on ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s not poison, is it? Are there side effects or¡­.¡± ¡°¡­and why would I give you something like that?¡± Elody said, disappointed by his reaction. ¡°Hey, this is from the duchess! You should at least take it even if it is poison!¡± Sr ranted as she nudged Ren. Nevertheless, he was still hesitant. Ren let out a shaky breath. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore. Maybe you should give it to the other knights instead¡­¡± Ren looked away. He couldn¡¯t help it, he was scared that something bad might happen to him. ¡°Sr, feed it to him,¡± Elody said. Elody gave the medicine to Sr, who immediately took it and caught Ren. ¡°Ahh! Let go of me!¡± Ren yelled. ¡°Do not rebel in the presence of the duchess!¡± Sr said as she forcefully fed it to his mouth. Caville stared at the duo with an empty expression. It was unusual to see him looking so bored. ¡°Alright! Alright! I¡¯ll eat it myself!¡± Ren did not want to eat the medicine, but he knows that Sr won¡¯t stop pressuring him until he epted it. So he decided to give in and took the pills from her hands. ¡°¡­just a bit,¡± he said as he chewed the medicine. ¡°Have you swallowed them?¡± ¡°Yes, well¡­ Are you sure it¡¯s working?¡± Ren asked suspiciously, touching his bruised abdomen. After a while, the medicine took effect and he could no longer feel his bruise throbbing with pain. ¡°Huh?¡± Elody¡¯s medicine worked surprisingly fastpared to other magic pills. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore¡­¡­? What is this? Is this magic?¡± His mouth dropped open, and disbelief crossed his features. He punched his wounds to see if he could still feel the pain, but he felt nothing. ¡°Don¡¯t do that! It¡¯ll worsen your injury. The medicine does not heal your wound, it only reduces the pain and the effect onlysts for about 24 hours.¡± Due to Elody¡¯s warning, Ren stopped beating his wounds, afraid that it might be worse over time. ¡°You¡¯re a genius! Shall I give you a kiss and a hug?¡± praised Sr. Elody sighed at her remarks. ¡®Sr is beautiful, but it¡¯s a shame that she acts like this¡­¡¯ ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m d it works,¡± Elody said as her soft lips stretched into a smile, she was proud of her sess. Brien, who watched the whole thing, sighed in satisfaction. ¡°After studying magic pills every day, did you finally seed?¡± he asked with a grin on his face. Brien didn¡¯t warm to people instantly, nor was he easily impressed¡­ but Elody was different. At first nce, everyone would just see her as an intelligent child. But Brien knew there¡¯s more to her than meets the eye. She was also hardworking and perseverant. She never stopped studying. She diligently pursued the practice of her profession and immersed herself in books. Needless to say, her determination and wit impressed him that he could not help but feel proud of her achievements. The other knights, including Sr, smiled at the duchess¡¯ sess. ¡°Caville, are you proud of me too?¡± Elody asked. Caville, who was holding her hand the whole time, finally brightened his expression. He no longer looked bored. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m proud of you, wife.¡± His smile lit up the room. A person smiles with more than their mouth, and Elody could hear it in his voice, the choice of his words, and the way he rxed. It was beautiful. * * * The long-awaited day has finally arrived. The chef presented a very special dish andyered the tabletops with the most delicious food. ¡°I came here to repay your grace, but I was weed with such hospitality instead. I¡¯m very grateful indeed.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Elody smiled while drinking her tea. Then, she gets straight to the point, and said, ¡°You said you wanted to reciprocate my kindness, yes?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. I¡¯ll definitely pay you back.¡± ¡°Well, could you do me a favor instead?¡± ¡°What? Oh, of course!¡± Sirka shrugged at Elody¡¯s words. He thought her request shouldn¡¯t be too big of a deal because she was just a young girl. ¡°I¡¯d like to supply items for Rhondia.¡± ¡°¡­pardon?¡± Sirka was dumbfounded at her unexpected request. ¡°What kind of item?¡± The merchant guild consists of traders who obtained rare goods and luxury items desired by the nobility. So he couldn¡¯t just distribute any random item. Elody presented a small pill andid it on the table. Sirka, who had no expectation, asked, ¡°What is it¡­? Is it a dessert?¡± ¡®Could it be chocte?¡¯ Sirka thought as he lifted the pill and stared at it with a nk expression. ¡°It¡¯s a painkiller. It¡¯s made with magic.¡± ¡°You are a mage? No, these are all¡­ magic pills? Really?¡± Medicine was usually in the form of liquid potions, so Sirka was surprised to see the magic pills as he had never seen them before. ¡°Can I test them?¡± ¡°You can test it on your body, would that be alright?¡± ¡°¡­yes, of course.¡± Elody smiled at his response. * * * ¡°Ahh!!! What is this? I¡¯m terrified!¡± ¡°You have to get hurt if you want to see the results,¡± Elody said calmly. Sirka nced at the two soldiers that were holding him hostage. ¡±Arghhhhh!¡± he yelped. He was so afraid that he¡¯d only allow them to give a small injury on his puny little finger. But¡­ ¡°Why do you have to make such a big fuss?¡± Brien groaned as he stared at Sirka¡¯s horrified face. Seeing Brien¡¯s harsh expression, Sirka became even more frightened. ¡®Why does he have to do it?!¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s just a small cut! So why do you have that look on your face?!¡± Sirka wailed. A smirk spread over Brien¡¯s face. At that moment his motives wereid bare, he was a mocker, one who enjoyed whatever torment he could inflict on those he didn¡¯t like. ¡°If you move, you¡¯ll get hurt, so stay calm,¡± Brien said as he took a small dagger. Sirka closed his eyes tightly, getting ready to bear the pain. ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡± he yelled. Sirka dropped to the floor, writhing in agony as his finger bled. The wound was small but he keptining as if it was a serious injury. ¡°Whew¡­¡­ it hurts so much, isn¡¯t this a poisoned dagger?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Brien looked at Sirka with a distressed look. He was clearly over exaggerating. Then, Brien and the soldiers left as they had finished their duties. ¡°Here, eat this,¡± Elody said. She handed the medicine to Sirka and he took in a polite manner. ¡®Come to think of it, he reminds me of someone¡­¡¯ Elody saw that Sirka had the same manner as Norman, the butler. ¡°¡­oh!¡± As the effects began to circte, Sirka¡¯s eyes brightened. His expression reminded Elody of Norman, who had eyes full of trust whenever he stared at Elody. ¡®How do you trust someone so easily?¡¯ Elody thought. ¡°¡­Are you really the owner of the merchant guild?¡± ¡°Why of course! Well, most of the business is done by my younger sibling¡­ but I¡¯m the one who makes the final decisions.¡± he bragged while pounding his chest. ¡°By the way, to be a mage at such a young age is incredible, you¡¯re even quite skilled.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Elody said, ¡°so do we have a deal?¡± ¡°Yes! Of course!¡± Sirka assured, ¡°This medicine is worth a lot¡­ it can be sold at a high price.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to sell it at an expensive price.¡± ¡°What? But¡­.¡± ¡°These pills are more necessary formoners and farmers.¡± ¡°Yes, but these are better than the average high-grade magic pills.¡± ¡°Still, I would like to offer it at a cheap price for themoners.¡± ¡°But¡­ if we don¡¯t have enough supplies, the price will naturally increase.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± Mass producing the pills was very easy as Elody had invented an automated device. It was an old machine powered by magic, but it still works well. However, the machine produced a very loud noise¡­ ¡°Alright then,¡± Sirka said. ¡°Oh! And I n to make the pills a little smaller than this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea, it¡¯ll be easier to carry.¡± he agreed, ¡±Well, I¡¯ll drop by again after I finish my work in the capital.¡± Rhondia had branches all over the West, and they were operated separately. They were very famous and most of the items they sold were luxuries for the nobility. So, there should be no problems in distributing it to themoners. ¡°So¡­¡± Without beating around the bush, Elody immediately switched the topic to her main goal and said, ¡°How much are you willing to pay?¡± ¡°What?¡± Sirka asked with a puzzled expression. He soon corrected his posture andughed nervously. ¡®What could a young girl like her possibly do?¡¯ Little did he know, he would soon take back those words. ¡°You¡¯re not the only merchant guild that hase to my mansion. I¡¯d like to make a decision based on the down payment.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± It appears that the rtionship between the two has changed. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Trantor: Latte Sirka gulped and turned to Elody. The performance of the medicine was spectacr and he¡¯d be a fool to decline the offer. ¡°Alright¡­ I¡¯ll ept the deal,¡± Sirka said. ¡°Perfect!¡± Elody smiled as she pulled out a contract. ¡°After the contract is signed, you shall pay the down payment for the first batch.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Sirka checked the contract as his nervous gaze flickered to Elody. He had to pay a lot of money. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t that much as the cost of each pill was rtively low. ¡°If you distribute it at a different price, then the deal is off and I won¡¯t provide you any more supplies.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Sirka nodded, once again amazed at how meticulous she was. Elody held out her hand, and he held it back. He had impossibly enormous hands ¨C his over-enthusiastic handshakes could definitely snap her wrist in two. ¡°If the deal goes well, please leave it to us to distribute your other medicines,¡± Sirka grinned. ¡°Alright. Would you like to test the medicine on your body again, too?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± His forehead wrinkled at her words in a little frown of obstinacy. ¡°No¡­ I will bring my brother.¡± ¡°Great.¡± Elody smiled. Suddenly, Caville snarled, ¡°Don¡¯t hold her hand.¡± Caville, who had been sitting next to Elody the whole time, was staring at Sirka with an unsettling gaze. Sirka was startled and immediately let go of his grip. He concluded from Caville¡¯s gaze that he was vexed with him holding her hand. ¡°Caville, this is just a handshake.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Well, l shall get going. Thank you for your hospitality today, your graces.¡± Sirka said as he hurried himself out. ¡°A pleasure to do business with you.¡± Elody smiled. As he walked out of the mansion, Elody was deliriously happy, giddy even. She bounced on her feet and rubbed her hands together. ¡°Hurrah!¡± she cheered. Truthfully, Elody set the price much higher than the original price. ¡®I¡¯d never thought he¡¯d say yes!¡¯ She was d that her hard work was crowned with sess. ¡°Caville, you don¡¯t have to worry about anything! I¡¯ll make you rich.¡± Elody said cheerily as she pulled him into a hug and gave him a kiss in the forehead. ¡°¡­¡­¡± In contrast to Elody, Caville needed nothing else as long as he had her by his side. * * * The trees whizzed by as dirt kicked up from behind them. ¡°Madame, you¡¯re very talented,¡± Sr said. Currently, Elody was taking horse riding lessons from Sr. The horse she rode was not above medium size, but he was a beauty, glossy as silk, and as white as snow. Elody started learning horseback riding because of Caville. Caville has shown great promise in sword fighting. However, he was afraid of horses. Elody was worried about him so she thought, ¡®Why don¡¯t I teach him horseback riding myself?¡¯ Thus in hopes of teaching Caville, Elody practiced every single day. She was not able to teach him sword fighting, but she wanted to do at least this much for him. ¡°Madame, your skills are incredible!¡± Srplimented as she pped her hands. ¡°Oh, you tter me. But I still have a lot of room to improve.¡± Elody said knowing that Sr was clearly over-exaggerating. ¡°Madame, you need to stretch your back a bit more.¡± Ren nagged as he looked away when Sr red at him. Elody was afraid at first, but after several days of practice her skills improved and her nervousness was gone. She had grown fond of horse riding. She liked listening to the steady hooves, the gentle tail swishing around, and the wind in her hair. It was more fun than she had expected it to be. ¡°Caville, would you like to ride with me?¡± Elody said looking at him, he frowns at her and shook his head anxiously. ¡°Some other time then.¡± Elody let out a chuckle, while Sr and Ren smiled at the two. Suddenly, Elody saw a certain butler rushing from afar. His voice started out very faint but grew louder as he approached. ¡°Madame! Madame! We¡¯re in trouble!¡± Norman panicked. Elody slipped off her horse and asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°That¡­ huff¡­, the brother of the former Lord¡­, C-count Borque¡­. He¡¯s here!¡± ¡°The Count of Borque?¡± Elody said as she retraced her memory. ¡°What¡¯s his reason for visiting?¡± ¡°That I do not know¡­be careful madame¡­ he¡¯s a difficult person,¡± Norman warned. ¡°Caville,¡± Elody said as she approached him, ¡°your uncle came to see you. Let¡¯s go and say hello.¡± ¡°¡­ Uncle?¡± ¡°Yes, your father¡¯s brother.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville tried to remember his father, whom he had only seen in a portrait. He had feather-like ck hair and his eyes were pink, so much like Caville. ¡°Come,¡± Elody said. ¡°Yes, wife¡­¡± Elody took Caville¡¯s hand and headed for the mansion with Norman. Norman was anxious, he was afraid that the count might harm the young duke and duchess. In the first ce, Norman desperately searched for Caville, the illegitimate son of the former Duke, because he did not want to give dukedom to Count Borque. Count Borque was a fool, even worse than the former duke. He was a man of uncouth manners and appearance. He drunk every day and treated women like they had an expiry date. Then, he spent his money on gambling and drugs ¨C while others starve in poverty. Furthermore, he was never less than arrogant. If he could do half the stuff he thought he could maybe ¡®confidence¡¯ would have been a better word. It wasn¡¯t though. He¡¯d been brought up with a belief that he was superior to everyone else by virtue of his birth. If such a man hade to inherit the duke, the duchy would¡¯ve fallen to ruin. Even Caville¡¯s grandfather made a request to ¡®Never let the dukedom fall into the hands of his second son, Count Borque.¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s a nightmare.¡¯ Norman thought. * * * While on the way to the capital, Count Borque decided to visit the Duke of Cernoir¡¯s mansion. A few years ago, he shouted with joy when he heard that his brother had died. His brother¡¯s death meant that the duchy belonged to him. ¡°Finally! I have thend¡­Hahahaha!¡± heughed. His heart swelled with hope. If he gained the title of the duke, he would be a very powerful aristocrat and no one would ignore him anymore. Sadly, however, he didn¡¯t get thend nor the title. The son of Duke Cernoir suddenly appeared and took the inheritance right before his eyes. Count Borque was stunned by his nephew who popped out of nowhere. ¡®I will not let him, the son of a maid, be the duke¡¯s sessor!¡¯ At first, Count Borque had an audience with the emperor to protest, however, his plead was denied. The emperor did not want Count Borque, who already had enough power, to have arger territory. If thend falls into the hands of the Count, then he will be established as one of the greatest aristocrats in the entire empire and it would result in an imbnce in the aristocratic faction. In the first ce, the emperor wouldn¡¯t be able to give him the title. Those that had the rights to the inheritance were only the family of Cernoir. As the Emperor¡¯s troubles deepened, Norman sent a document about Caville¡¯s existence and he immediately approved of Caville being the sessor to the dukedom. Other aristocrats also did not refute the emperor¡¯s decision. Like the emperor, they thought that it would be better for the illegitimate child to inherit the territory. To Count Borque, Caville was an eyesore. ¡°The mansion is a mess. Tsk¡­.¡± Count Borque clicked his tongue as he looked around the parlor. A momentter, Elody entered the parlor with Caville. The count red at them in disgust. ¡®I can¡¯t believe these children are the ones who took over the duchy! How dare they take what¡¯s mine!¡¯ He was going to take this opportunity to vent his anger on them. ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, Count Borque.¡± greeted Elody as she dropped a curtsy. ¡°Ha!¡± he snorted and red at Caville who hid behind her back. ¡®What a lousy bastard.¡¯ His face mottled with anger, crude words flew from his mouth, but Elody was calm. She smiled and gestured Caville to greet the count. ¡°A pleasure to meet you, your excellency,¡± Caville said. ¡°Ha¡­¡­ this is insane.¡± Elody continued to ignore the count and sat down with Caville. Soon, the maid brought in tea and refreshments. ¡°What brings you to our territory?¡± Elody asked as she grabbed a cup of tea. ¡°What do you mean? This is my home! Is there a reason as to why I can¡¯te?¡± Despite the rude answer, Elody calmly sipped her tea while Caville continued eating his snacks. Count Borque¡¯s appearance was simr to the former duke, but he had a short in stature and is rather fat. ¡°Ha¡­¡± The count was speechless. ¡®The nerve of them!¡¯ He wanted to scare the kids by scolding them, but they were surprisingly undisturbed. He spoke, ¡°Although you have been approved by the emperor, I have no intention of handing over thend to you bastards!¡± Slurp- Munch, crunch! ¡°¡­¡­¡± Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Trantor: Latte Slurp- Munch, crunch! The two continued to ignore the count. ¡°You insolent children¡­ don¡¯t you know that you are in the presence of nobility?¡± Their acts fueled the fire that burned inside of Count Borque. His face was red with suppressed rage, his hunched form exuded an animosity that was like acid ¨C burning, slicing, potent. Elody calmly put down her tea and shifted her gaze towards the count. ¡°Well, he was granted the title by the emperor.¡± The count snarled more than spoke, ¡°Ha! The emperor? Don¡¯t make meugh. That¡¯s not true at all! I¡¯m sure you can¡¯t even get the eptance of the vassals¡­. From next year onwards, send a portion of your tax to me. Then I will get in contact with the vassals on your behalf!¡± It was a ridiculous im, but he still did it because he needed money to ease his anger. Since the opponents were young children, he expected that they would not rebel if they were intimidated. ¡°And why would we do that?¡± Elody shrugged and nced at Caville. Caville stopped eating his snacks and said, ¡°Yeah why?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± His jaw dropped and his eyes trembled with rage. ¡®How dare they¡­¡¯ he thought. ¡°Count Borque, you shouldn¡¯t be whining like a child.¡± ¡°What?! You little¡­!¡± the count raged, ¡°If you still insist on this matter, I will dly send a letter to the Imperial Pce and let the emperor discuss it instead,¡± Elody smiled. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Count Borque bit his lips. He had protested against the emperor before, so doing it again will further dishonor his reputation. In the first ce, his reason for going to the capital was to gain back the trust of the emperor and to please the nobles that had turned their backs on him. ¡°Weren¡¯t you on the way to the capital? Why don¡¯t you take the letter with you?¡± ¡°You¡­ you sneaky little!¡± he snapped. All that rage came out faster than lightning and just as destructive. He sprung from his seat and grabbed Elody by the cor. ¡°Don¡¯t touch my wife!¡± Caville shouted. ¡°You filthy bastard!¡± As he raised his hand towards Caville, Elody freed out of his grip and blocked his approaching hand. ¡°I am the Duchess of Cernois! I will formally evict you as the acting lord!¡± ¡°What? Me? How dare you?!¡± ¡°You left me with no choice,¡± Elody said as she called Norman. Soon after, Norman came in with an anxious expression. ¡°Norman, Count Borque is on a tight schedule, he has to leave for the capital right away. Go see him off,¡± she said coldly. ¡°¡­Yes, madame.¡± He couldn¡¯t believe the words that came out of her mouth. He held still, not moving an inch from his ce and red at Elody, eyes locked right on hers. ¡°Well, Count Borque? Or would you rather be dragged out by the knights?¡± she said. ¡°¡­this¡­this!¡± His fingers curled tightly, his knuckles turned white from clenching his fist too hard, even his teeth clenched in anger. He felt resentful about being kicked out but he still left the parlor as he needed to visit the emperor soon. He promised to avenge himself one day, but he needed to relieve his anger first. * * * A few dayster, Elody and Caville went to inspect the fief. Norman, Marie, and a knight apanied them to ensure their safety. She had wanted to go a long time ago, unfortunately, she was too busy to spare any time for the inspection. Today, they were going to look around the farms that were located near the mansion. Thend was vast, and on the periphery, there was a small territory where the vassals resided. Unfortunately, Elody had never seen their faces. ¡°Impudent people¡­.¡± They were supposed toe and greet Caville after he was assigned as the sessor to the dukedom. Yet they didn¡¯t even send a letter, let alone visit him. Just like Caville¡¯s uncle, they will never approve of him because of his young age and his mother¡¯s background¡­. They were unqualified to be the duke¡¯s vassals as they might have already clung to nobles of othernds. In the novel, the vassals only came to congratte Caville after he returned from war. There was a scene in which the princess gave the vassals a room to stay. But the vassals plotted against them instead. It turned out that the mastermind behind the incident was none other than the cunning viiness, Elody. ¡®I have nothing to say¡­.¡¯ Although Elody had led a different life from the original storyline, she still felt a little sorry for Caville. ¡°Beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡± Elody said as she looked out of the carriage and admired the scenery. The mansion was located in the center of thend. If they go straight through the main gate of the mansion, they will see arge square with a fountain in the middle. Fortunately, the roads in the dukedom had been built in the days of wealth and grandeur, when Caville¡¯s grandfather reigned the duchy. Far away from the main street along the well-organized road, one could see a barn, orchards, fields, and private homes. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived, madame,¡± Marie said. ¡°Come, Caville.¡± She said as she got off the carriage. Afterward, she decided to look around while riding on a horse with Caville. She drove the horse with deft skills and was proud of the results from her hard work. ¡®I knew it was worth it!¡¯ ¡°Caville, look carefully. This is your territory.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville didn¡¯t seem to understand her words. ¡°You still don¡¯t grasp what I mean?¡± It¡¯s still too early for him to learn about theplex system of the fief, but Elody has decided to exin things step-by-step for Caville. Thisnd was owned by the first duke. He had driven out the invaders from Bayan and thus, he wasbeled as a hero who had a great contribution to the war. Elody exined it in the easiest possible way in hope that Caville would understand. ¡°Thisnd is your territory, and all the people who live here are your people.¡± At first, he seemed confused, but after a while, Caville began to nod his head at Elody¡¯s words. ¡°You have to make sure that they do not live in poverty. As the lord of thisnd, you have a responsibility to protect them.¡± ¡°¡­yes.¡± It¡¯s been a long time since he rode a horse, so Caville seemed a little scared, but he was less nervous than he thought he¡¯d be. He relished the sound of the horse¡¯s hooves pounding against the ground, the spring breeze that swept his hair gently, and most importantly, Elody¡¯s warmth. ¡°Huh? But what is this?¡± she said as she surveyed the farm before her. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, ma¡¯am?¡± Norman asked. There was a short pause, ¡°Well¡­ could you tell me their farming techniques, Norman?¡± ¡°We divide thend into three sections, with a different crop in each of two fields, wheat and barley, but the third field is left fallow.¡± ¡°The third field fallow?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Farming methods, of course, vary from region to region. With different techniques, the speed to harvest the crops would also differ. It took a long time for the advanced farming methods to be transmitted to other areas. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody thought their knowledge regarding farming methods wascking. To confirm herself, she asked, ¡°So they left a third of the field empty because they don¡¯t want to decrease its fertility?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ is there something wrong, madam?¡± nting wheat for consecutive years was often very traumatic to otherwise fertilend. They consumed a lot of nutrition in the soil and increased pests. That¡¯s why they couldn¡¯t nt more crops the following year. ¡®Why don¡¯t they nt turnips and clovers? These crops directly add nutrients to the soil and help mitigate the reproductions of pests.¡¯ The four-course crop rotation began to use turnip and clover as part of thend fertilizer. Crop rotation is the practice of growing a series of dissimr types of crops in the same area in sequential seasons to help restore nt nutrients. Until modern fertilizers were developed, Norfolk four-course rotation was the most advanced farming method. But until the knowledge was widely spread, the three-field crop rotation routine will continue to be used. ¡®If we want to increase production, we need to change farming methods¡­¡¯ There was no need to let the soil lie fallow as clover would add nitrates back to the soil. That way it would greatly increase the crops and yielded livestock. There would usually be arge livestock ughter in winter because there is no food for the people to eat. However, keeping nts such as turnips that were resilient in the cold weather would be beneficial for the crops and would help feed the cattle and sheep as well. In short, the addition of clover and turnips allowed more animals to be kept through the winter, which in turn produced more milk, cheese, meat, and manure. Elody was d that her modern life knowledge could be of great help here. The reason why farming methods did not develop was simple. The nobles were indifferent to the lives of the peasants, and as a result, the progress in farming became stagnant. ¡°Caville, you¡¯ll be a good lord that cares for his subjects, far from the selfish nobles that we¡¯ve seen.¡± ¡®I¡¯ll make sure that happens.¡¯ Elody swore to herself solemnly. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Before getting back into the carriage, Elody looked at the vast expanse ofnd. She felt a little bit bitter at the thought of leaving this ce one day, and the fact that she would have to send Caville off to the war. ¡®Should I just not let you go¡­?¡¯ But it was clear that without Caville¡¯s contribution to the war, it would lead to the empire¡¯s defeat. Elody sighed and climbed into the carriage. It was a beautiful day, but somehow she felt a bit empty. After returning to the mansion, Elody arranged for the new farming methods to be implemented and handed the details over to Norman. The production will increase significantly if it was immediately applied this year. ¡°And Norman, please bring me the letter that was issued by the Emperor.¡± ¡°Yes, your grace.¡± Elody decided to check the letters patent just in case. She didn¡¯t want to send Caville to war if possible. Unfortunately, the deed was clearly written in the letter. To be granted the title of a duke, Caville had to lead his own knights to war if the emperor asked them to participate. ¡®I wish the issued letter wasn¡¯t so direct so I can utilize some loophole within the use.¡¯ Elody shook her head, clicking her tongue in disappointment. ¡®But what¡¯s done is done, I¡¯ll just have to help Caville by making more medicine!¡¯ Elody made up her mind and headed to theb. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Trantor: Latte As Elody expected, the number of crops rose tremendously the following year. The public welfare turned for the better. The new farming technology implementation had helped reduce poverty and raised ie for the fief and its citizens. Stability came as the prices in the markets remained low and stable, and more people moved into thend. Elody also invested a considerable amount of money in nurturing the knights and improving the quality of their weapons and armor. And after several seasons had passed¡­ Caville was finally 12 years old and his height was now quite simr to boys his age. Elody on the other hand, turned 18 this year. She grew up to be a beautiful girl. With pink hair and noble bearing, she waltzed on every room with an effortless saunter and her head held high. The knights¡¯ eyes were drawn to her and they could not help but blush at the sight of her beauty. However, there was only a year left before Caville had to leave for war. * * * ¡°Madame, madame! I found a new type of nt!¡± Anna said as she burst into Elody¡¯sb which was located next to the greenhouse. ¡°Really? Again?¡± Elody asked while tying her waist-length hair into a ponytail with a thick ribbon. Right now, she was working on her newest research. ¡°Yes! Look at this, madame! Unique, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°What is this?¡± Elody stared at the grass that Anna brought. New, unusual nts would grow in the greenhouse as it evolved. Anna was knowledgeable regarding nts, but she couldn¡¯t recognize this one. Elody didn¡¯t know most of the time either, but there were some nts that she could recognize as she had seen them in her previous life. At times like that, Elody felt grateful to be able to take advantage of her modern life knowledge. ¡°I don¡¯t know what this is¡­,¡± Elody said. ¡°Then shall we pull out to the roots? I¡¯ve only plucked the grass¡­¡± ¡°Well¡­ let¡¯s do itter. I need some rest,¡± Elody replied as she put down the de of grass and rubbed her sore neck. She was tired because she¡¯d been focusing on her research for several days. In addition to the painkillers, she also had to study various medicines. Elody was in a rush because there was not much time left until Caville had to leave for war. The drugs she developed were hemostatic agents and ointments for wounds. Although they had already existed, the drugs Elody made worked faster than those in the market. ¡°Ah! What about Caville? Is he still in training?¡± Elody asked. ¡°Yes, madame. He¡¯s been training with the knights.¡± ¡°I see, then please arrange a dinner for us when he gets back.¡± ¡°Yes, madame,¡± Anna said as she bowed her head and left theb. Over the past four years, the Duke and Duchess of Cernoir had fulfilled lots of achievements in the territory. First of all, the farnds had greatly changed. As Elody said, the adjustments in farming methods led to a sharp increase in its production. ¡®I actually read it from a history book.¡¯ Elody was proud when she saw the sess of the Norfolk four-course system. With the revival of agriculture, the lives of the people living in the region became prosperous, and naturally, the poption also increased. Elody¡¯s medicine also yed a huge factor in raising the dukedom¡¯s economy. If this continues, the dukedom will develop into an unforeseeable height. But the one who changed the most was Caville. Caville grew taller. He was almost the same height as Elody when she was his age. ¡®I¡¯m actually considered quite short, but¡­.¡¯ Since three years ago, Elody had no longer needed to attend Caville¡¯s sword lessons. Despite Brien¡¯s ardentints, the one who suggested it was Caville himself. ¡°Wife, I shall take my leave for it is time for me to train with Sir Brien,¡± he said formally. After hearing from the butler that married couples use formal speech to one another, Caville started speaking formally to Elody. When Caville spoke in such manner for the first time, he said, ¡®My dear wife, it is time for our meal.¡¯ Elody thought that he was so cute and she almost fainted! Despite the change in his way of speaking, Elody still treated Caville like her little brother. ¡®Shall I take a look at his training?¡¯ She thought momentarily but ended up shaking her head. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t visit him anymore¡­¡¯ Elody felt a bit bitter but it was tolerable. She was even more dejected when Caville told her not to attend his sses anymore. ¡®How did he grow up so fast? I guess Brien¡¯s presence doesn¡¯t scare him anymore.¡¯ Of course, Elody understood the reason behind Caville¡¯s request. Sword training was something that would inevitably get more intense as his skills improved. Elody would always watch his lessons with fear that he might get hurt. She would interfere every time she thought the training was too rough. So instead of helping him develop his skills, her worries became a hindrance instead. ¡®Is this what it feels like to send your son to school for the first time?¡¯ The decision was not easy to make, nheless, she still did it because she wanted him to improve. She held back her sadness to secure his future. * * * Elody sipped her tea as she waited for Caville¡¯s training to end. While waiting, she looked at a newsletter Marie brought from the market. The newsletter was issued to publish information about the political situation of the capital and the bordends. Elody¡¯s face instantly hardened when she read one of the articles in the newsletter. ¡®The temple is about to take part in the war¡­.¡¯ The Heklos Empire was thergest empire within the Friar continent. And the war, in which Caville participated, was against the Urta Empire from the east. Thend on the east was smaller than the west, and various empires clustered together. But one day, the Urta Empire began to conquer the small countries which scattered throughout the east and began to invade the rest of the continent. ¡°Those barbaric people¡­¡¯ The Urtans were barbarians who enjoyed hunting humans. They disdained Thyssers, the religion which most poptions in the Friar Continent believed in. Throughout the war, the Urtans also massacred the priests and mages, branding them as heresy. They insisted that their emperor was the only one and true God. All the priests and mages they found would be tortured and yed with as if their lives were nothing but toys. They imed that the mages they killed were sacrifices and that their mana would give more power to their God. Though it was clearly false. ¡°Madame, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Marie asked, worried about Elody¡¯s sudden frown. ¡°No, nothing¡­,¡± she sighed. Marie, who was pouring tea, nced at the newsletter and asked, ¡°Will the imperial government be holding a formal meeting with the Temple of Thysser?¡± ¡°Yes, because they now have amon goal.¡± The temple and the imperial government opposed each other. On the surface, they looked as if they had a cooperative rtionship. But truthfully, the emperor wanted the temple to be ced under the empire¡¯s orders, and of course, they rejected it. ¡°Common goals?¡± The emperor wanted war with the Urta Empire, who had been bothering those in the western border. But every time the emperor suggested it, the temple would always oppose the idea. Fortunately for the emperor, the situation had changed. The Urtans had gone out of line by continuously killing innocent mages and priests. Therefore, the imperial government and the temple came to an agreement. They decided to work together to push back the enemy, the Urtans, back to the east. The agreement came despite their poor rtionship with one another. ¡°Marie, have you heard the news about the kidnapped priests?¡± ¡°Yes, I heard that the Urtans brutally killed them. It¡¯s terrible.¡± ¡°Exactly, and that is why the temple joined forces with the imperial government.¡± The war will begin in a year. At first, the emperor thought that he¡¯d have a higher chance of winning the war because of the additional troops from the temple. Unfortunately, that was not how it turned out. At first nce, the temple would seem as if they were the ones leading the war, but upon closer inspection, one would see that their troops were actually hiding behind the imperial army. With how the war progressed, it was inevitable that an internal dispute took ce. ¡®In the midst of war, the knights divided over political strife. How pathetic¡­.¡¯ However, in the middle of the internal conflict, Caville arrived and united the troops, leading their side to victory. Suddenly, a familiar voice called out to her. ¡°Wife,¡± Caville said. Caville, who finished his training, had just taken a shower. Elody could see him donning a semi-formal attire as he approached the dining table ¡°Caville, did you train well?¡± Elody smiled. ¡°Yes I did, I hope I haven¡¯t kept you waiting very long,¡± he replied. ¡°No, not long.¡± Elody said as she reassured him, ¡°Now, let¡¯s go and eat.¡± Elody stretched her hand to Caville and intertwined it as her long and thin fingers, fixed perfectly in his. Though he was still young, Caville had grown more and more handsome each time she saw him. ¡®I can¡¯t help but smile at his dazzling features!¡¯. ¡°Caville, you have to eat the vegetables¡­,¡± Elody said as she noticed Caville pushing away the carrots from his te. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville pouted his mouth at Elody¡¯s gentle rebuke and reluctantly put a slice of carrot in his mouth. Suddenly, Elody could feel her heartbeat pounding in her chest. She felt great pressure, it was a horrible pressure. Maybe it was because she had just read that newsletter, but It had finally dawned on her that there was not much time left to spend with Caville. She had only intended to raise Caville well, yet as time went by, she couldn¡¯t help but feel attached to him. In him, she found a family and rtionship which neither of them had ever experienced. Without his eyes to light up her day, she would be left with nothing but emptiness in her heart. Elody smiled gently at Caville¡¯s pouting figure. Even when Caville was eating she kept up her smile, she knew that as soon as her smile faded away, bitter tears would roll down her cheeks as if to apany her aching heart. * * * As Caville physically grew taller, he had also be emotionally mature. This was because of Elody¡¯s encouragement. Every day, she would tell him about how pretty, nice, and cool he was and how much she loved him. His previous fear was reced by calmness and assured poise. He no longer feared horses as he could ride them by himself. However, he has now feared something else¡­. In the past, whenever Elody held his hand or stroked his head, it would¡¯ve been enough to get rid of all his fears away. But this time, the fear he held, wasn¡¯t the fear of falling from the horses, nor the fear of an adult. This time it was bigger than any fear he had ever faced. It was something that neither her hug nor kisses could pacify. ¡®I¡¯m scared¡­¡¯ Caville was scared since Elody had always talked as if they were going to separate. Whenever they walked around the mansion, Elody would say strange things that would unnerve him. ¡®Caville, if anything happens to the empire, you have to protect the people. That way, the people of the empire will protect you too.¡¯ ¡®Caville, you have to take responsibility for you¡¯re the only one who can protect them.¡¯ ¡®You can do it, Caville. You don¡¯t need to be afraid of anything.¡¯ Elody tried her best to prepare Caville for the uing war. All the warnings were to keep Caville from being shocked by the sudden news that would arrive within the next few months. Her words, however, made the little boy feel uneasy¡­ Caville and Elody retired to their bedroom. The two still slept together in their king-sized bed. But as they grew bigger, rather than hugging one another as they would do in the past. The two would instead fall asleep while holding each other¡¯s hands. His palm caressed her cheeks as he edged his hand toward hers ever so slightly, and when she felt his fingertips brushing her hand. She would unfurl her fingers and let his slip around hers so she could feel the heat of her palm pressed against his own. Intertwining their hands together, Caville shut his eyes and slowly fell into a deep slumber, praying for the future. He had only one wish¡­. ¡®Please don¡¯t separate me from my wife¡­.¡¯ Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Trantor: Latte Not too long ago, Elody began reading books in a private study that belonged to one of her predecessors. There were a lot of studies in the Cernois Mansion, but the rooms were far apart. ¡®It¡¯s quite inefficient¡­ I¡¯d rather read them in one ce.¡¯ After the former duke died, the books in his study were kept intact and the room was regrly cleaned. It seemed that cleaning every study in the mansion was a rule that must be passed down generations after generations. In one of the studies, Elody found a particr book that piqued her interests. It was a book containing the history of the first Duke of Cernois. Elody ended up learning a couple of things about the duke. ¡®He had extraordinary power¡­ what could it be?¡¯ It is said that the first duke used his special abilities through ancient artifacts. Of course, the artifact was handed down as a family heirloom. To find out what the artifact was, Elody went out of her way to check out every old and worn-out portrait. Only then, did she find out that the artifact was in fact a red brooch. The first duke could be seen wearing it on his chest in every portrait. But¡­ ¡®The former duke was ipetent¡­ he might have sold it.¡¯ Elody searched for the brooch in one of the dressing rooms where the jewels of the family were stored. If the artifact actually existed, it could help Caville a lot. As the war approached, Elody became even more obsessed with ¡¯helping Caville.¡¯ ¡°Ouch, my back,¡± Elodyined. After searching for a long time, Elody decided to head back to the study where she first found the book. Elody pushed open the heavy swing door and approached the big desk on one side of the room. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡­¡¯ It urred to her that she had previously found a hidden vault located underneath the study desk. And now, right before her very eyes was a wooden door simr to the one she had found before. ¡®Doesn¡¯t that mean that I just have to check every desk in the study? Is this a blessing from the gods?¡¯ The dukes seemed to think that it was safe to hide precious items under their desks. ¡®It¡¯s somewhat fair, as they do sit on their desks all day long.¡¯ Elody let out a soft chuckle as she brought another piece of a long iron rod. She can tear open the wooden door more skillfully than before. ¡°¡­what the?¡± But to her dismay, there were only a few old jewels stored inside a wooden box. ¡®I thought it was another vault¡­¡¯ But amongst the old jewels, was a brooch that looked simr to the one she saw in the portrait. ¡®What is this? Is this fake?¡¯ she thought in disbelief. How did it be like this¡­? The book, which contained the history of the Duke of Cernois, described the artifact as a brooch that emits a vibrant red glow. However, the brooch in front of her was nothing of the sort. It was broken and the color was a soulless dark red. ¡°How unfortunate¡­¡± Elody sighed in disappointment. Suddenly, something astonishing happened. ?Discovered 1 vanishing life, use the unknown item (1)?¡µ Elody widened her eyes and stared at the text box that had just appeared. It was the same window she had seen in her previous life right before she died. Elody almost screamed because it¡¯s been so long since shest saw it. ¡®An unknown item¡­ I think I¡¯ve seen this word before.¡¯
  1. 9. 8. 7¡­
¡´If nothing is selected, then the item will automatically be used.¡µ Her heart thumped as she hesitated. ¡®Isn¡¯t it fine? I didn¡¯t even know it existed anyway.¡¯ And so, Elody chose to press the ¡®Yes¡¯ button with her trembling hands. ?Unknown item (1), phoenix feather has been used.¡µ A momentter, the brooch started emitting a vivid glow. She flinched. The light seared into Elody¡¯s eyes, making her close them in reflex. Then, she opened her eyes and slowly turned her head. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Elody stared in awe. The gem was emitting a bright reddish color, casting a crepuscr glow within the room. The metal which was dull and rusty now looked as shiny as new. The brooch she thought was fake turned to look exactly like the one in the portrait. Just like in the history book of the Duke of Cernois, the gem was radiating a vibrant color. It had the sort of radiance that kindled something beautiful within as if actual blood was flowing from inside the gem. It seeded in captivating Elody¡¯s eyes. The thought of the ancient artifact by Caville¡¯s side, protecting him in the war, reassured parts of Elody¡¯s concerns. Ever since that day, Elody became even more enthusiastic to continue on her preparations. She poured her heart and soul to it as if she was taking care of her brother who¡¯s about to go on his first field trip. A yearter¡­ Elody turned 19, and Caville finally turned 13. It was a peaceful day¡­ until an imperial messenger arrived at the Cernois mansion, bearing the imperial family¡¯s orders. ?We are under attack from eastern invaders. By edict of his Imperial Majesty, The Duke of Cernois must contribute to war. He is to lead his own knights and join the war of the Heklos Empire with blessings from the God of Nature, Tvekra.¡µ * * * The duke, who had always been lively, was now immersed in a gloomy atmosphere. The butler and other servants could notfort him. They could only watch his despondent mood with a heavy heart. Elody sat in front of the warm firece, looking at Caville¡¯s dispirited face. Caville stared at the edict issued to him. He pored over the letter and pondered on it over and over again. ¡°Caville¡­?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave my wife¡­¡± he agonized. ¡°Caville¡­¡± ¡°Do I have to go? I don¡¯t want to go¡­¡± Caville fretted, his eyes filled with anxiety and despair. When she saw tears welling up in his eyes, her heart ached. ¡°Come here,¡± she said as she pulled Caville into a hug and patted his small back. Caville cried in her arms. He was still a child but he had to go to such a dangerous ce. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go¡­¡± he said, still sobbing, ¡°I¡¯m scared¡­ please don¡¯t send me away.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be afraid, Caville.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m scared of being separated from you,¡± he cried. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody continued to hug Caville even tighter. Tears began to form in Elody¡¯s eyes. She felt the same as Caville. She didn¡¯t want him to leave. She had to say goodbye to the only person that she cared for, to the person that she felt happy with. How was she supposed to do that without feeling like she had just lost a part of her? Nevertheless, the decree had been made ever since the first duke reigned the territory. So Caville had no choice but to fulfill his responsibilities as the lord of thend. ¡°Caville, I¡¯ll be here until youe back. I will always wait for you,¡± she sniffled. Elody slowly began to exin the situation to Caville. She wanted tofort him even if it was just a bit. It may seem cruel, but it was the duty of the duke to participate in war and to defend the empire. Elody had exined all of this before, so Caville was able to understand most of her words. However, it wasn¡¯t enough to mend his broken heart. And so was Elody¡¯s. If she could, Elody would step in to take the ce of her poor husband. * * * The preparations proceeded quickly. The majority of the knights had to participate in the war. The same could be said about themoners. The emperor issued a decree which said that at least one man per family must serve in the Imperial Army to defend the country from Eastern invaders. Thus, everyone fell to depression. To part with their loved ones¡­ it wasn¡¯t an easy task. Even so, Elody decided to do what she does best. She carefully checked the weapons, foods, and supplies that would be needed on the battlefield. As the duchess stepped forward and took leadership, the servants rushed to work, giving all of their energy to help the duke prepare for war. Elody also packed dozens of medicines that she had developed. Of course, she hoped for the medicines to be used as little as possible as she didn¡¯t want anyone to get hurt. Lastly, with the help of the butler, Elody sent an order under Caville¡¯s name to summon the vassals. ¡®Though I¡¯m not sure they¡¯de.¡¯ After Caville became the sessor of the dukedom, they did note to congratte him on his new title. Elody was afraid that they would ignore the order. Nheless, she still instructed Norman to send it to the vassals. * * * It was time. The time she knew woulde sooner orter but dreaded. As expected, there were only a fraction of the vassals who followed her orders. Elody watched everyone saying goodbye to their loved ones. Marie and Brien hugged each other, Sr wiped away her younger sister¡¯s tears, while Ren tried to console his grandmother who lived alone. With swollen eyes, Elody gazed at Caville. She called out to him who tried to hold himself back from crying. ¡°Caville.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody bent her knees and faced Caville. She took out the artifact and ced the brooch on his chest. ¡°This will protect you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You have to be strong. You have to make sure that you don¡¯t get hurt and you can¡¯t get sick! Alright?¡± Elody said, worried. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Elody tried to hold back the tears, however, there was such a flood of them that she could not control it any longer. The tears kepting out as she sobbed her pain away. Elody was embarrassed by her crying face, so she hugged Caville tightly and buried her head in his tiny arms. Caville tried to console her by stroking her hair. ¡°Caville, I-I¡¯ll be sure to write you letters¡­¡± she sniffed. ¡°You must write to me often.¡± ¡°Yes, of course,¡± Elody said as she put a letter inside the pocket of Caville¡¯s coat. It would¡¯ve been fine if he had shed a tear, for this was hisst farewell before going to war. However, it was admirable to see him holding back despite the sorrow in his heart. He seemed to have remembered that he should not show his weakness in front of the knights and soldiers. ¡°Sir Vedos, please take good care of the duke.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Your Grace. We¡¯ll return safely.¡± Elody smiled bitterly at his remark. The warsted for ten years. It took a long time to get to the Catan Mountains where the war broke out, and the Urta Empire was not an easy opponent. Furthermore, the imperial government and the temple were caught in an internal dispute so the war took longer than expected. ¡®I wish it would be over soon¡­.¡¯ Everyone on the duchy watched the cavalcade. Elody shifted her gaze towards Caville. He was sitting on his ck horse with a proud posture. Even though he was still young, his expression showed natural elegance and dignity. Caville would grow into a wonderful man, a duke who was respected by everyone. Elody was ready to do anything for him. Even if it meant her leaving the duke¡¯s mansion. Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Trantor: Latte Editor: Chaz Caville was Elody¡¯s family. The family she¡¯d never had before. He was more like a brother than a husband, but she still held him close to her heart. She would walk through the gates of hell to keep him safe, feel honored to be given the chance, and only be grateful for it. She would dly sacrifice her ambitions if it were for his happiness. Elody watched the cavalcade in tears and made up her mind. ¡®Caville, I¡¯ll keep an eye on the mansion until you get back.¡¯ Elody smiled and waved towards Caville who kept looking at her. His departure pained her, but she had no choice but to say goodbye. * * * It was the day after Caville¡¯s departure. In front of the burning bonfire, Caville was reading a letter from Elody. [Dear Caville, Caville, you must be out of thends by now, right? I felt bad because I made you bear the whole burden by yourself. All the things that I said, I had always worried that they would trouble you¡­ But I did it because I wanted to prepare you in advance. I¡¯m proud of you, Caville, and I always will be. I¡¯ll keep an eye on the fief until you get back. Don¡¯t get hurt, don¡¯t get sick, and finally, don¡¯t forget that I¡¯ll always be by your side. I¡¯ll write to you again. Elody loves you. P.S. Make sure to take care of the artifact. I don¡¯t know what it does, but it¡¯s your family heirloom. It should have special powers.] ¡°What are you reading?¡± Brien asked. ¡°A letter,¡± Caville answered, quite bluntly. He folded the letter and kept it under his clothes in fear of Brien stealing it. ¡°I can¡¯t take care of you like I used to. So don¡¯t be a crybaby.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville creased his forehead in annoyance and red at Brien. Elody would sometimesin about him. Sir Vedos wasn¡¯t a good person and Caville fully agreed with his wife. ¡°Don¡¯t get too cocky. You must not forget that I am your lord and you are beneath me.¡± Brien¡¯s expression stiffened and he realized his mistake. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± he said as he bowed his head. He seemed like a pampered child in the mansion, but at the end of the day, the blood of the duke truly ran in his veins. This was also one of Elody¡¯s pieces of advice, ¡®Never look down on your subjects, but don¡¯t let them see your weakness.¡¯ she¡¯d say. Of course, most of his weaknesses had already been exposed, but he wouldn¡¯t just continue to show them. He didn¡¯t want his wife to worry, so he had to hold back his emotions. ¡®Don¡¯t cry. You have to be strong.¡¯ Caville pledged to himself not to cry anymore. But unlike his admirable response, Elody was not able to cope with the separation. ¡°Oh no, madame¡­ don¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°Ugh, waah¡­¡± The misery of his departure pained her, the thought of him noting anymore broke her heart. ¡®My baby. What should I do?¡¯ Those words were mixed between her cries. The maids also felt bad when thedy, who had shown a mature countenance all the time, cried like a child. Eventually, Elody was able to get back to her room with the help of the maids. As sheid on her empty bed, the tears flowed again. ¡°He must be so scared¡­¡¯ She stayed awake, looking all night, hoping to catch a glimpse of him- but there was no ¡®him¡¯. The pain of separation left her sad and lonely. These were hard times for Elody and Caville. * * * From the day after Caville¡¯s departure, Elody became a workaholic. She worked in the greenhouse andb all day long. She was afraid that her grief would lead to depression, so she busied herself all day hoping it would help her sleep well at night. She couldn¡¯t sleep unless she overworked herself. Every time she closed her eyes, all she could think of was Caville. Here she was livingfortably in her mansion, while her husband suffered on the battlefield. Sometimes she would even sleep in front of the firece because she felt sorry for sleeping in such afortable bed. When Marie found her in such a state, she could only sigh in sorrow and cover her with a nket. ¡®What is Caville doing now?.¡¯ Elody was working on her research today and after reading a book, she suddenly thought of Caville. ¡°I hope he¡¯s doing well without getting hurt¡­¡¯ Still, it was reassuring to have Brien by his side. Elody checked the herbal samples andpiled the data to study a new type of drug. ¡°Madame, there are dark circles under your eyes. Did you not sleep wellst night?¡± asked Marie with a worried look. Elody smiled awkwardly. At this rate, her dark circles mighte down to her cheeks. ¡°Madame, please do not overwork yourself. Will you pleasee back to the mansion and have your meal?¡± ¡°Well¡­ can you bring it to theb?¡± ¡°¡­as you wish, madame.¡± Marie sighed and nodded. Elody didn¡¯t want her to worry, but there was so much work to do. Though she had not neglected her research, she had been so sluggish that she felt guilty about it. In the end, she chose to repent by overworking herself. Elody erased her useless thoughts and pondered over which medicines were the best to send to Caville. Some of them were pills to increase physical fitness. Elody also had medicines for emergency treatments, but they were literally for extreme wounds. The good thing was that the Temple of Thysser also participated in the war. ¡®I¡¯m d it¡¯s a war that¡¯s allied with the temple¡­¡¯ The priests and mages had healing powers, so those who are wounded in battle could be treated with healing magic. In fact, if there was a priest who could use healing magic, there was no need for the medicines at all. Nevertheless, Elody still sent the painkillers and hemostatic drugs just in case. ¡®Is there anything else I can do for him?¡¯ Since it was a battlefield, it was clear that they would not be able to eat properly. She needed to create something to help increase their nutrition. That¡¯s how Elody started studying health supplements. Furthermore, Elody had to make medicine for sick and poor people. Sadly, the dukedom only had one temple. That¡¯s why Elody offered her drugs to small clinics: it should be beneficial for the residents of the duchy. Suddenly, someone knocked on the door of theb. ¡°Good day, madame!¡± Anna said as she greeted Elody with a bright tone. ¡°Yes, good morning, Anna.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think it¡¯s still morning, madame,¡± Anna replied with an anxious look. Elody turned her head, pretending not to see Anna¡¯s worried expression. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a rest today? You haven¡¯t slept in a while. You¡¯re going to get sick if you keep this up, madame.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right even if I get sick¡­.¡± ¡®Oh¡­! I need to study the cure for my disease¡­.¡¯ Elody became overwrought. ¡®So many things to do¡­¡¯ ¡°¡­I¡¯ll check the greenhouse, madame.¡± ¡°Yes, please,¡± Elody said as Anna bowed her head and headed towards the greenhouse. Anna was in charge of managing the greenhouse. She was doing a great job as her work was meticulous. After Anna left, Elody took out the fresh herbs that Anna brought yesterday. ¡®I should make a fatigue recovery medicine first.¡¯ ¡®I can endure this¡­¡¯ Elody filled the sk with water and ground the red petals of the Peria flowers. The Peria petals could help improve your mood, help you sleep better, and increase your blood cirction and concentration. It could be boiled with tea, but the problem was that it was also quite bitter. ¡®Why are they so bitter?¡¯ Elody thought of pouring honey into the sk, as she wanted to suppress the bitter taste as much as possible. But she decided not to because it¡¯d be a hassle. After injecting some mana, Elody drank the medicine as it was. ¡°Ughhh¡­¡± It tasted horrible on her tongue, so acrid and foul. Then, she ate a sweet candy to get rid of the horrible taste in her mouth. ¡®Caville loves these candies¡­.¡¯ She should¡¯ve let him eat more of them. It¡¯s not the healthiest snack, but she only gave it to him whenever he did good things. She regretted not being nicer to Caville. As Elody was eating the candy, Anna entered theb. ¡°Madame, what could be the cause of your terrible expression?¡± ¡°I drank some medicine¡­do you want some too, Anna?¡± Anna shook her head firmly. ¡°No thank you, I¡¯m fine, madame, I¡¯m not tired because I sleep well¡­,¡± she paused, ¡°Don¡¯t rely too much on drugs, and please get some sleep.¡± Anna had been nagging like Marie since some time ago. She was genuinely worried about her health. ¡°Alright¡­,¡± Elody answered, avoiding her gaze. ¡°Madame, this nt keeps growing in the greenhouse¡­ what should we do with it?¡± Anna asked as she put the nt on her desk. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told madame before. At that time, both of us weren¡¯t able to find out what kind of grass this was¡­¡± ¡°This is the grass from that time?¡± Elody asked, puzzled. ¡°Yes, I haven¡¯t thought about it since then¡­ but now it¡¯s getting quite out of hand. The grass has grown all over the field. I think madame should examine it herself.¡± Recently, Elody had been thinking of expanding the greenhouse so that she could grow new types of nts. Plus, she wanted to test new crops on the field for the farmers. Andstly¡­ ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± The frequency of these unusual herbs had tremendously increased. To study whether or not they would be useful, she had to expand the greenhouse. Elody took her eyes off her book and took a close look at the herb¡¯s roots. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡®Wait, I think I¡¯ve seen this before.¡¯ Elody pondered for a while. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡¯ Her eyes lit up as an idea struck her. There was a sudden outburst in her brain, of the good kind. She¡¯d discovered something amidst her observation and now she was as eager as ever. She jumped out of her chair and immediately ran to the greenhouse. ¡°Oh, madame! Do be careful!¡± Anna said surprised. Elody had identally knocked her chair to the ground, so Anna pulled it back up before she followed Elody to the greenhouse. Elody ran to one side of the field. This area was used specifically for Elody¡¯s research. ¡°Is this it?¡± Some rare herbs could only grow in the mountains and this area was used purposely to grow such herbs. The magic tools adjusted the environment so that it was simr to that of the mountains. It adjusted the temperature, humidity, the rate at which the nts grew, and other factors. But¡­ ¡°No, is this still growing?¡± Elody pulled out one of the herbs and carefully checked the roots. When Anna gave it to her before, she only saw the leaves of the nt. So she¡¯d had no idea what it was. But this was definitely that. Obviously¡­ ¡°This is the nt I sowed!!!¡± Elody eximed. Chapter 17: (1) Chapter 17 Trantor: Latte It was wild ginseng. For the first time in a while, Elody finally showed an expression that she had long forgotten. Her eyes brightened and her lips curved into a smile. ¡°I finally have it¡­.¡± She could see why the simmanis were so ecstatic when they harvested wild ginseng. Wild ginseng is an herb that¡¯smonly used as traditional medicine. It usually grows in East Asia and the United States. They are also hand-picked by gatherers known as simmani. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ve never seen it before in my previous life.¡­.¡¯ ¡°Madame, what is happening?¡± Anna, who came runningte, asked. Anna seemed surprised to see Elody making an unusual fuss. ¡°This is¡­ a panacea.¡± ¡°What? Is there such a thing?¡± There was. As far as she knew, wild ginseng had considerable efficacy. Cultivated ginsengs were also great supplements. ¡®But wild ginseng is on a whole different level!¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s harvest them! Anna, help me.¡± ¡°Yes, madame!¡± Anna said as she nodded vigorously. After Caville left, Elody¡¯s facial expression was cadaver-like, not just sagged butcking its usual liveliness, if notpletely. That¡¯s why the sight of Elody smiling truly warmed Anna¡¯s heart. It had been so long since shest smiled. ¡°You have to be careful not to damage the roots. The roots are its life.¡± ¡°Understood, madame!¡± In her previous life, wild ginseng was highly valued for its cooling and sedative medicinal effects. Also, it was expensive due to its very specialized growing environment and high demand. If she couldmercialize them well in the market, she could make an entire fortune! The wild ginseng will be able to help Caville too. ¡®My baby¡¯s in trouble, and I¡¯m going to help him!¡¯ * * * Elody¡¯s days became hectic. She was so busy that she stuck inside theb and greenhouse all day long. She had to deal with various tasks on behalf of the lord. In some ways, it was even more important than her research. ¡°Madame, if you¡¯re tired, I can lessen today¡¯s schedule¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right,¡± Elody said as she shook her head. She stayed up all night reading a book yesterday so she felt tired. ¡°Your Grace, yourplexion does not look too well¡­¡± Norman said, anxiously. After Caville left, the servants were all worried about Elody because she was in poor condition and wouldn¡¯t take care of herself properly. ¡°Should I eat the wild ginseng¡­?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°¡­Nevermind.¡± Yesterday, after checking the security in the territory, new guards were deployed. And today, Elody had to carry out the punishments for those whomitted crimes within the duchy. No one hadmitted a felony, but even the smallest sins had to be fairly punished. Tomorrow, she nned on visiting the knights. Right now, Elody cared the most about security. The knights were needed to keep order and to make sure everyone was safe, they made sure thews were upheld and that everyone was treated fairly. ¡®We need to hire more soldiers.¡¯ As the poptions grew, those needed to be protected increased as well, and with arge number of knights and soldiers leaving, it was only natural to care about the security of thend. Only when thend was safe could the people of the territory live in peace. The day after tomorrow, Elody was going to look around the farmhouse. She was nning to distribute the turnip seeds to the farmers. Her goal was to make sure that the people of the duchy would be able to live safely and in satiation. Elody had no intention of squeezing their money through tax like other nobles. She could be rich if she did that, but she thought of such acts as absurd. On top of that, the abundance of the people could also help enrich thend. ¡®I¡¯m wealthy as well, but I¡¯m so tired¡­.¡¯ Elody rubbed her heavy eyelids. She had a tight schedule, so she was tired¡­ very tired. Her body needed to rest yet her mind forced her to move, to burn the anxiety right out. ¡®Maybe it would be better to eat one wild ginseng¡­¡¯ Elody studied the wild ginseng after discovering it not too long ago. Wild ginseng grows naturally in the mountains. After checking it multiple times, the ginseng she had in her greenhouse was indeed simr to the authentic ones that grew in the mountains. With a magic tool, she confirmed that the herbs were not poisonous. Then, she fed it to the knights in the mansion and recorded the results. Though truth to be told, she never tried it herself. She did not dare to eat it because she thought it¡¯d be a waste. ¡®I¡¯ll just take a nap or something.¡¯ Elody quickly took care of the rest of her work. Then climbed upstairs to take a nap¡­ ¡°Madame, Sirka from Rhondia is here.¡± ¡°What? Again? Without an appointment?¡± ¡°¡­yes. He¡¯s waiting in the parlor right now¡­.¡± ¡®Damn it!¡¯ The man had no courtesy. He had been visiting the mansion without making an appointment and it irked Elody. Elody headed to the parlor with her creased forehead. At that moment, she funneled all her strength into her feet and used it to walk out of the door with an angry expression. ¡°Little miss, it¡¯s been a while.¡± He said, smiling. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody sat down and red at Sirka. ¡°Not so little anymore¡­,¡± his words trailed off, ¡°aren¡¯t you? Hahaha¡­,¡± Sirka added as if embarrassed by the awkward silence. Before he realized it, she¡¯s grown too big to be called a child, her sudden change in appearance had surprised him. She was utterly beautiful. ¡°I brought the settlement, so don¡¯t make that expression.¡± ¡°¡­show it to me.¡± ¡°Here you go.¡± Elody checked the documents carefully. All the drugs she invented over the years were sold by the merchant guild. The reputation of Rhondia rose because they sold the pills at a cheap price for themoners. But there was also a problem. ¡°Ah! Madame, another visitor came from the Temple of Thysser.¡± ¡°Really? Again?¡± ¡°Yes, they were quite persistent. It won¡¯t be easy to hide anymore.¡­¡± ¡°I see. They won¡¯te here, right?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no justification and I haven¡¯t sinned. So I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t happen.¡± The fact that Elody was the developer of the pills had to be kept a secret. But they won¡¯t be able to hide it for long. The Temple of Thysser had shown great interest in her medicines, but Elody was not pleased¡­. On the surface, the temple seemed to have a good rtionship with the mages. But that was all a lie. ¡®I can keep ignoring them, but¡­.¡¯ The Thysser religion worshipped Tvekra, the God of Nature. Priests possess the ability to use divine magic; a sanctified and sacred form of magic that uses holy forces to achieve extraordinary feats such as offensive magic or healing powers. Their conviction grants them strong powers on behalf of their faith. Mages like Elody on the other hand mostly used elemental magic. The user can utilize different elements as a form of magic. They can use different spells to formte their elemental quantities and energies for many uses but everything was based on their knowledge regarding ancientnguages. To tell the truth, elemental magic also used natural forces, so the essence of both powers was more or less the same. Unfortunately¡­ most priests looked down upon mages. ¡®No, it¡¯s more like¡­ they put their guards up?¡¯ They didn¡¯t want the mages to increase. Therefore, books in ancientnguages were monopolized by the temple and designated as forbidden books. They thought of their existence as a threat to their divine powers. A long time ago, there was a legendary mage who was able to extract magical energy from all of the elements. His name was Magna Ponithesia. He is said to have extraordinary powers and ruled the spirits of all elements. However, most of the priests twisted the truth and dismissed the achievements of the archmage. They insisted that he only had such powers because it was a blessing from God. They argued that divine magic was the only teaching of God. In front of others, they¡¯d say, ¡°We don¡¯t reject elemental magic!¡± But what they truly wanted to say was, ¡°What? Mages? Oh, the ipetent magic users! Such amateurs!¡± They had terrible personalities. ¡®And when the mages invented something, they¡¯ll interfere and take credit for their work.¡¯ So of course, the mages didn¡¯t like the priests either since there was too much bad blood between them. But like most people in the Friar continent, the mages also believed in the Tvekra God. They, however, did not want to be involved with temples nor priests. Just like Elody right now. ¡°It¡¯s going to be quite noisy if they find out the truth.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t help it though.¡­¡± Elody shook her head at his words. When the medicine that Elody made first became popr, it was immediately sent to the temple. There was a rumor that spread amongst the people and it ruined the pills¡¯ reputation. ording to the rumors, the pills were not proper medicine. However, the medicine was fine, and there were no addictive or harmful ingredients. The efficacy of the drug was undeniably outstanding. So the temple began to question who made the medicine. ¡°I wanted to keep it a secret until the end.¡­¡± Sirka kept quiet because of Elody¡¯s demands, but as the medicine became more and more popr, it was getting harder to hide the truth. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine,¡± Elody replied. Sirca sighed and continued, ¡°I¡¯m telling you it may be fine now, but the truth wille to light soon. They¡¯ve been following me recently. I thought the people of the temple were civilized?¡± Sirka said with a sigh. ¡°Not exactly, the temple does a lot of dirty work.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve made sure no one followed me today. So no one knows I¡¯m here, not even my younger sibling! Madame is the only one who knows,¡± he smiled. ¡°Yes, and¡­ the maids of the mansion know about it as well.¡± ¡°¡­that¡¯s, well¡­.¡± Elody stared at Sirka with a worried look. ¡®The truth will soone to light¡­¡¯ The priests would not openly persecute Elody, but it was certain that she would be on their watch list after her name became known. The mere thought of it bothered her. ¡°Speaking of which, your skin is looking a little rough, madame.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Is it because the duke left? Do you want me to give you some lotion?¡± he said yfully. ¡°If you¡¯re going to annoy me, just leave,¡± Elody rebuked. Sirka shrugged at her words. ¡°Oh! I should have said ¡®I love you!¡¯ one more time before he left. Goodness gracious, how silly of me to forget!¡± Elody¡¯s face fell faster than a corpse in cement boots. He reminded her of a memory she long tried to forget. It was years ago¡­ ¡®Caville seems a bit gloomy these past few days.¡¯ Elody wanted to cheer him up so she thought of ways to lighten his mood. Caville often had nightmares. He kept dreaming of bad adults who abused him and verbally assaulted him in the past. ¡®What can I do to help him?¡¯ Young Caville had very low self-esteem. Elody was heartbroken when he called himself a useless child. She thought it was because he had never received proper affection from people. And so, Elody decided tounch the so-called ¡®I love you, Your Grace¡¯ campaign. Elody forced the servants and knights to say ¡®I love you¡¯ whenever they made eye contact with Caville. ¡°I love you, Your Grace!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Unfortunately, Caville¡¯s reaction was quite chilly. His response was not good. The servants got embarrassed instead¡­ But ever since then, Caville seemed to be a little happier. He no longer degraded himself. Elody¡¯s efforts worked unknowingly. ¡°I love you, Caville! You are my most favorite person in the entire world!!!¡± Elody shouted, far louder than anyone else. Sirka, who visited at the time, also actively participated in the campaign. ¡°I love you, Your Grace!¡± Sirka eximed in glee. s, Caville could only feel his insides curdle and chose to ignore Sirka with a wry expression¡­ Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Trantor: Latte ¡°Have you seen the newsletter?¡± Sirka asked. ¡°Yes, I have,¡± Elody replied. ¡°I think the war is going tost for a long time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Itsted for ten years. Ten painful years. ¡°I¡¯d rather not discuss this topic¡­ Let¡¯s talk about business instead,¡± Elody said with a solemn expression. ¡°Business? What else is there to talk about?¡± ¡°I¡¯m currently working on a new project.¡± His eyes lit up at her words. ¡°Really?!¡± ¡°Yes, though it isn¡¯t finished yet,¡± Elody replied calmly. ¡°I look forward to the results! What kind of medicine is it this time?¡± ¡°Panacea.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Sirka replied, ¡°Then I shall devote my life to the duchess.¡± Elody grinned at his words. ¡®Yes! More money! I¡¯ll make lots of money until Cavillees home!¡¯ Elody had made a resolution. If Caville brought back the princess, then Elody would need to earn some money to leave the mansion. ¡®But where will I live?¡¯ Elody wanted to live nearby, but she didn¡¯t want to seem like a nosy sister-inw. Then, she realized something. She had to leave the mansion as soon as Caville came back from war. To separate again when they¡¯ve only just met, the mere thought of it saddens her heart. ¡°¡­We¡¯ll continue this conversationter.¡± Elody said as she rose from her seat. ¡°What? Already?¡± ¡°Yes, I have to go¡­¡± Elody said in a subdued tone, ¡°I¡¯ll tell the maids to prepare you a meal before you leave.¡± Sirka watched her leave, a bit irritated by her bizarre mood swings. Elody just wasn¡¯t in the mood to chat. * * * Soon after, Elody constructed another greenhouse, specially made for the wild ginseng. She also studied ways to grow the herbs in a short amount of time. ¡®I¡¯m so tired¡­ I feel like I¡¯m going to die.¡¯ She was worn out because her schedule was packed with the lord¡¯s duties. When times get tough, she will start thinking of Caville on the battlefield. That way, she could channel her energy right back up and work twice as hard again. Moreover, she¡¯d send letters to Caville on days she felt the most lonely. Writing letters seemed to help ease up her mind. It felt like sending her little brother to the military when he¡¯s only ten years old. Elody gathered her strength and began to study the panacea. The most well-known herb traditionally used as a drug is the root of the ginseng species. If the results turned well, she could earn plenty of money, and it wouldn¡¯tpare to the earnings she got from her old medicines. There was only one thing she could make. Six-year-old red ginseng! ¡®It will take care of Caville¡¯s health!¡¯ Elody intended to develop the ginseng seeds by studying wild ginseng obtained from their natural habitats. Fortunately, the ginseng she cultivated was as effective as those grown naturally in the mountains! So she¡¯ll continue to cultivate them, and she¡¯ll process them to be red ginseng. Like the painkillers she made, she¡¯ll process them as pills and then send them to Caville along with a letter. ¡®I¡¯ll work hard.¡¯ And so, Elody sowed plenty of the ginseng seeds in the newly constructed greenhouse. A few dayster¡­ ¡°What is this?¡± Elody said, squatting in front of the field where the ginseng was nted. In front of her was an unusual grass growing beside a field that was ready to reap. It looked just like clover, but it was a little different. ¡°Madame, what kind of nt is this?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ve never seen this before.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not poisonous, is it?¡± ¡°No, poisonous nts won¡¯t be able to grow here. I used an elixir to make sure that doesn¡¯t happen.¡± Elody decided to separate them so that she could examine the ingredients. The stem was green, but the leaves were red. It was unique. With the mysterious herbs in good care, Elody turned her eyes to the field. ¡°The ginseng is growing well.¡± The herbs looked healthy, but Elody was worried whether to call it cultivated ginseng or wild ginseng. For now, she decided to call it ginseng. Ginseng root is used more often than other parts of the ginseng nt, but they could only be harvested after several years¡¯ cultivation. The herbs took too long to grow, so Elody used her magic powers. She made ampoules of liquids that were able to speed up its growth and injected them on the ginseng. Growth-promoting ampoules were very rare, and they could only be used in small droplets, so it was a waste to use them for other crops. But doing this could also help her research ways to grow the herbs inrge quantities. Elody¡¯s crop farming was no different from the natural type. Because through magic, the environment could be simr to that of the mountains. Her mouth curved into a smile as she thought of processing them to be red ginseng. ¡°Madame, is this herb that great?¡± ¡°Yes. After it¡¯s harvested, I¡¯ll give some to you so you can try itter.¡± ¡°Really? Thank you, madame! So¡­Shall I keep it a secret from Marie?¡± ¡°No need, I was nning to give it to the other maids anyway.¡± ¡®What a pity.¡¯ Anna thought as she clicked her tongue. Elody chuckled at her funny response. * * * Shortly after that, Elody harvested the ginsengs after using magic to speed up its growth. ¡°The roots look astonishing.¡± Elody was excited as it was time to harvest the nts. She dug up the herbs then nted the seeds again. They were washed, peeled, sliced, and some were soaked in honey. The leftovers were given to Elody so that she can process them to be red ginseng. ¡®This might be difficult.¡¯ The ginseng root was used as a natural remedy in supplement form. The root that had been steamed and dried was called red ginseng. The process of steaming and drying the ginseng was quite extensive. After steaming, it had to be dried in a well-ventted area. The drying process was also important. Elody steadily injected her mana during the process. After repeating this, the finished red ginseng was turned into a capsule. It¡¯s a jelly-like soft pill, but after swallowing it, it melted instantly and permeated inside the body. She made it portable and easy to eat. ¡°It¡¯s not bitter, it tastes good.¡± Elody tried one herself to check its efficacy. The effect urred rather fast. Her body was full of energy. It wasn¡¯t like she miraculously gained strength, but it indeed reduced her fatigue. By eliminating the side effects through magic, people with high fever could also take them. Elody contemted on how to mass-produce the pills. ¡°I¡¯ll send a letter to Caville along with the pills.¡± Although separated by distance, Elody wanted to support Caville. * * * ¡°Madame, how¡¯s your research going?¡± While touring to the barracks with the butler, someone spoke to Elody. ¡°Sir Therion. Thank you for your concern. It¡¯s going very well.¡± His name was Therion, and he was currently in charge of the knights. He was a great knight who had blond hair and a tall figure. Therion was able to attain the rank of a knight due to his extraordinary skills. He, however, did not join the war. The decree said that only one man per family was needed to serve in the Imperial Army. So his family chose Therion¡¯s brother, William, to join the war in his stead. Therion seemed unhappy about not being able to participate in the war, but his brother¡¯s words persuaded him, he said that thend¡¯s security was also important. ¡°That¡¯s d to hear.¡± Therion smiled, ¡°To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to ask if the knights require any supplies or reinforcements. Is there anything you need?¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s a lot of neers. So we are in dire need of more wooden swords.¡± ¡°Really? Then it means that there¡¯s a lot of reinforcements, that¡¯s good news.¡± ¡°Yes, they¡¯re all the more excited because they can be knighted by the Duchess herself,¡± he grinned. ¡°Pardon? Why would they be excited?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Elody was puzzled, and so was Therion. He genuinely thought Elody would realize what he was talking about. ¡°We adore you a lot. The children in training, apprentices, even full-time knights¡­. Did madame not know that?¡± Elody blushed, ¡°Sir Therion¡­¡± At his direct words, the butler Norman gave him a look as if telling him to be careful of his words. Therion shrugged and said, ¡°It¡¯s alright even if madame isn¡¯t aware. Well¡­ since you¡¯vee all this way, would you be so kind as to watch us train?¡± ¡°I would, but I¡¯m afraid my schedule does not permit me to¡­,¡± her words trailed off, ¡°I must get going now, Sir Therion. Thank you for greeting me and keep up the good work.¡± Elody smiled softly and proceeded to check the rest of the remuneration with the butler. ¡°Let¡¯s finish this quickly and go.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Grace.¡± After inspecting the facilities inside the barracks, Elody settled herself on an outdoor table to rest her feet. Then, she took the documents that Norman gave to her and began to organize them herself. ¡°Um¡­ Norman. Do the knights like me that much?¡± Elody asked. ¡°Well¡­ honestly, I thought that madame might have guessed it even a little. Everyone here adores you, and some knights would even try to capture your heart. Quite a lot, actually.¡± Elody was dumbfounded. Of course, she was conscious of her beautiful appearance as she stared at the mirror every day. However, there was not a single person in the original story who liked her. It was because of her evil deeds. ¡®Home¡­¡­¡¯ Elody will soon turn twenty. The young males might try to court her as she was a beautifuldy with high status. ¡®Caville will be the same when he meets the princess¡­¡¯ In the novel, the two fell in love at first sight and felt a strong connection towards one another. Elody was depressed. If theye back together like in the novel, then she may be forced to leave the mansion! ¡°Your Grace!¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Elody, who had been lost in thought, finally raised her head. A young boy was approaching her. Norman was on his guard for a moment, but Elody dissuaded and calmed him down. He was about fifteen or sixteen years old. He seemed to be a knight in training. ¡°Well, uh¡­ please ept this.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± He bowed and shyly thrust them into her arms. It was a bouquet. ¡°I picked them from the field for you,¡± he blushed, ¡°I know it¡¯s not a big deal, but¡­.¡± The boy could feel the heat growing in his cheeks. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll put it in a vase.¡± Elody smiled as she epted the bouquet. ¡°No, it¡¯s no problem,¡± the boy said as he scratched his head and ran back to the training grounds. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody stared at the bouquet for a while. Norman looked at Elody and asked anxiously, ¡°Madame, you don¡¯t look good. Are you all right?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m all right.¡± The flowers reminded her of her memories. It was months before Caville¡¯s departure¡­ As usual, Elody went out to the fields with Marie and Anna to harvest more herbs. During that time, Caville was training. After a long time of collecting herbs, Caville came running, calling her from afar. ¡°Wife, look at this!¡± Caville, who tried to catch his breath, held out what he had hidden behind his back. It was a bouquet of wildflowers. Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Trantor: Latte In his hands was a bouquet of miniature flowers. ¡°Uh¡­ all the leaves are gone. It was pretty before, but¡­.¡± Caville said as he lowered his gaze with a sullen expression. Anna and Marie were swallowing a smile. Caville was more innocent than children his age. ¡°But it¡¯s still so pretty. You said it looked prettier before?¡± Elody asked, epting the bouquet. ¡°Yes. It was more beautiful before¡­.¡± ¡°Well, it still looks beautiful now. Did you pick these out for me?¡± ¡°Yes, because my wife likes pretty things,¡± Caville responded as a smile crept into Elody¡¯s face. ¡°Thank you, Caville. They give a gentle aroma too. Would you like to smell it?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Elody held out the bouquet to Caville, and he inhaled the sweet fragrance. ¡°It smells good!¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t it?¡± Elody smiled. ¡°Yes. It smells just like you, wife.¡± Anna and Marie, who stood behind Caville, were surprised to hear such lovely words. ¡°Oh my!¡± ¡°The lord will be a very romantic husband!¡± Anna giggled. ¡°Yes. Caville will grow up to be someone who¡¯s loved by all.¡± Elody said as she stroked his hair. Loved¡­ by the princess. The flowers reminded her of that time. The earthy wands of the trees, the fresh aroma of wildflowers, the sky which was dappled by the clouds, and Caville¡¯s genuine smile. ¡°I miss Caville¡­ He¡¯s doing well, right?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s fine, madame.¡± Norman replied. ¡°It must be hard for him¡­.¡± she worried. A sigh escaped his lips as he looked towards Elody¡¯s anxious self. Elody¡¯s days were filled with worries. And as time went on, Elody became even more anxious. * * * Meanwhile¡­ Caville was currently struggling on the battlefield. It took a considerable amount of time just to get past the capital and reach the Catan Mountains. Eventually, it was time to pass the Dark Forest, thest gateway to the mountains. ¡°Your Grace, please be careful not to fall off your horse,¡± Brien said with a tense expression. ¡°Alright.¡± The Dark Forest. The reason for the name was because of the utter ckness of nighttime in the woods. The bare branches spiked into the sky, its leaves blocking any iing sunlight. Even the knights were afraid of the haunting atmosphere. Because of frequent monster attacks, the Dark Forest was ssified as a restricted area, just like the nearby Forest of Death. The Forest of Death was located near the duchy, and the territory had the fastest shortcut to the mountain range. Fortunately, this area was much safer than the Forest of Death. The knights and soldiers could feel the darkness drawing closer and closer, suffocating them as they passed through the thick maze of woond. The odd chirps and rustling of the winds see the travellers pivoting to respond; their weapons were drawn. But, despite their anxiety, nothing attacks. They travel on, slowly growingfortable with the nearby movements. However, as they thought they¡¯d passed the forest unharmed, a group of monsters suddenly emerged from the trees. The knights unsheathed their swords as a small battle broke out. Brien guarded Caville, blocking him from harm¡¯s way. Caville stared at the monster. It was something he¡¯d never seen in his entire life. The monsters that appeared before them were goblins, famous for its greed and ferociousness. ¡®I¡¯m scared¡­.¡¯ Caville had only heard of goblins from books. They were mythical creatures that had an ugly appearance. Sumbing to fear, Caville hid behind the knights. He clenched his sword with trembling hands, unable to think, he couldn¡¯t remember anything from the sword lessons he had with Brien. ¡°My Lord! Stay back!¡± Brien shouted as he continued killing the goblins in front of him. Suddenly, a goblin lurched towards Caville with rapid eleration. ¡°Watch out!¡± Brien was about to run to the young child to save him, but he soon stopped. The scene before him surprised himself as his eyes widened in astonishment. Instead of hiding behind Brien¡¯s back, Caville stood his ground and lifted his sword. The de shed as he swung it over the goblin¡¯s head, and blood sttered when he brought it down. A few momentster, the battle was over. Only a few soldiers suffered minor injuries, so they were able to cross the forest safely. As soon as they got out of the woods, they immediately headed to camp. Upon arrival, Caville began to unpack a few of his belongings. Then, he discovered the wounds he had gained from the previous battle. There was a slight cut on his wrist, right below his gauntlet. Brien asked in a worried voice, ¡°Are you all right, Your Grace?¡± Caville strove to answer back, saying, ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± However, he wasn¡¯t all right at all. He felt sick and ufortable; all he wanted to do was cry. It was a small wound, but he was scared to see his blood. Thest time he saw blood was when he still lived in the orphanage. Caville drew his sword and cleaned the de, following Brien¡¯s actions. His blood-stained sword looked disgusting. Caville turned away as his stomach heaved, nostrils filled with the smell of lousy goblin blood. Brien took something out of his pocket and handed it over to Caville, along with a ss of water. ¡°This is a painkiller from the duchess. Please eat it first before I take a look at your wounds¡­ but I can call the priest if it hurts too much.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. The medicine will do.¡± Caville replied gracefully. He took the pills from Brien¡¯s hands and swallowed them, along with the water. Elody made the medicine. ¡®I miss my wife¡­¡¯ If she knew he was hurt, she would have worried a lot and kindly treated his wounds¡­. Perhaps because he took the medicine that his wife made for him, his longing for Elody grew stronger. Brien was astounded to see Caville acting so mature. He was able to cope with the situation better than he thought he¡¯d be. ¡®He¡¯ll be a brilliant man..¡¯ Brien snorted inwardly whenever the duchess would say, ¡°My baby will grow to be a fine man.¡± But to some extent, what she said seemed to be true. In the eyes of a child, goblins should seem much scarier than devils. He thought Caville would just cry and keep begging him to go back home¡­ However, Caville was unexpectedly calm. Moreover, Brien was proud to see him use the sword techniques he had taught. He felt as though he had sessfully raised his apprentice well. * * * A boy as young as Caville among the soldiers on the battlefield. One could never take his participation seriously. There were a few knights who were also young, but Caville was the youngest of them all. Their unfriendly gaze reminded Caville of the adults who had abused him in the orphanage. They all looked huge and threatening. He was so afraid. Every day, all he thought about was how much he wanted to go back home. Back to Elody, who had always hugged him, smiled at him, and talked to him affectionately without any strings attached. The nobles would always whisper behind his back. A kid like him, participating in the war as one of the nobles of the empire. They could only see him as a pathetic joke. ¡°His Majesty, the Emperor, is too much. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯d let a little boy be themander of the knights.¡± ¡°Right! No one would be surprised if he died tomorrow.¡± ¡°Is the Emperor purposely trying to lead him to his death? Is His Majesty nning to give thend to Count Borque after the young duke dies?¡± ¡°I heard that the Emperor and Count Borque made a secret deal behind his back.¡± Caville grasped his heart, doing his best not to be frightened by the noblemen spewing malicious and hateful words towards him. Sometimes, there were a few people who would try to gain his favor, saying that he reminded them of their son back home. Unfortunately, most of them ignored Caville. They snorted and pointed at him, saying, ¡°We brought a dog to the battlefield.¡± Or they would click their tongue and say, ¡°Tch! He¡¯s just dead weight! He¡¯d probably die soon!¡± ¡®¡­I miss my wife.¡¯ He was so sad and afraid that his tears would fall out, but he did his best to put up with it. Every time his tears were about to fall. He¡¯d remember one of Elody¡¯s words and advice. That way, he¡¯d regain his confidence and strove back up again. He¡¯d be able to raise his head, rx his shoulders, and stare straight into his opponent¡¯s eyes. ¡°Do not degrade yourself. You are the Duke of Cernois, a brilliant young man who loves and protects the people of the duchy.¡± Despite being far away, Caville would sometimes hear Elody¡¯s voice. He felt as if they were together, even though the distance separated them. He wasn¡¯t as lonely as he was back then. He didn¡¯t want anyone to belittle him. So Caville tried to keep himself from being ignored by engaging in daily training. And before going to bed, he would pray earnestly for Elody to appear outside of his dreams. ¡°Your Grace, please take a rest. You¡¯ll run out of energy at this rate.¡± Despite Brien¡¯s worries, Caville didn¡¯t let go of his sword. Caville devoted himself to keep training even when everyone else was resting. He was younger than the others, so he felt a need to grow up and develop his skills. Only then will he be able to go back to Elody. Repeating the small battles, Caville trembled in his weaknesses. When he saw the injured knights trying to escort him, his heart felt heavy. The knights and soldiers of the Duke of Cernoir began to give a more favorable look to the Lord, who, at an early age, took the lead without being daunted. The same could be said about the vassals who participated in the war. ¡°Don¡¯t be so impatient. Your Grace is still young. After a few years, you¡¯ll be a much better knight than you are now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville did not answer Brien¡¯s words. ¡®Is that true?¡¯ Caville was suspicious. No matter how much he thought about it, all he could see was his weak and useless self. Whenever he thought of that, he¡¯d desperately try to run to Elody and hide in her arms. But Elody wasn¡¯t there¡­ Nevertheless, from some point on, a burning desire began to spring up from deep inside his heart. A desire to be powerful. He wanted to be strong. Strong enough to protect those he cared about. So Caville tried even harder. He trained himself to be a better man than he is now. But after a while, Caville began to hear weird voices. ¡®Caville Cernoir¡­. ¡® It was a voice that called his name. At first, he thought it was just someone who whispered directly into his ear. But neither Brien, Sr nor Ren, who were by his side, had ever spoken to him this close. ¡®Caville Cernoir¡­.¡¯ ¡®Caville Cernoir¡­.¡¯ The contents of the speech, after calling out his name, were indescribably faint. After a day or two of repeated hallucinations, Caville suddenly began to feel haunted by the voices. Furthermore, Ren¡¯s mean words stimted his fear. ¡°You must sleep with a nket at night, My Lord. There¡¯s a story about ghosts haunting the battlefield.¡± Ren said, mischievously. Caville red at him with unpleasant eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t y tricks on the duke.¡± Brien gave him a harsh scolding, and Ren lowered his head as if he was actually sorry. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, My Lord¡­ But the rumor is real.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville had heard of it. The story of the soldiers and knights who died in the battle and appeared as ghosts. Another rumor was that the Urtans killed the priests and mages and took away their mana, thus turning them into ghosts that haunted the enemy camp. It was a false rumor that no one believed in, but it was still scary to think about at night. If he had known this sooner, he would have brought the rabbit doll that he got for his birthday. Do ghosts really exist? But the auditory hallucination he heard in his ear did not sound like a ghost¡¯s voice. Rather, it was a strong, powerful voice. Caville wanted to be strong. He wanted to be a strong knight who was neither afraid of ghosts nor afraid of hearing odd voices. As Ren¡¯s words kepting to his mind, he covered his body with a nket. He couldn¡¯t sleep, but he still tried. However, whenever he closed his eyes, the voice he heard would sound even clearer. Even the night before, he could not hear the faintest part in his ears clearly unless he closed his eyes. ¡®Caville Cernoir, do you want to have more power?¡¯ Caville opened his eyes and instinctively grasped the brooch on his chest. ¡®The brooch!¡¯ The sound came from the artifact, which Elody put on his chest. Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha The manufacture of red ginseng was carried out sessfully. Elody gave it to the servants, and the results were satisfactory. ¡®As expected of red ginseng!¡¯ Elody felt like she had already made a fortune. News of her sess spread by word of mouth, and the knights began to take an interest in the medicine. To make things fair, Elody also gave a generous amount of pills to the knights and guards. ¡°I wish I could mass-produce it. I need more plots in the greenhouse.¡± Unfortunately, for now, she had no way to grow them inrge quantities. So she had no choice but to rely on her magic. Her cultivation method produced a higher yield in a shorter amount of time. Like that, she would be able to mass-produce it through magic. Furthermore, a single root was enough to produce quite a lot of pills. ¡°Madame, are you tired?¡± Anna asked anxiously, but Elody shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m all right. Thank you for worrying about me, Anna.¡± The first person to test the effects of the red ginseng was Elody. Overwhelmed with fatigue, Elody rxed by taking the pills, and it had high efficacy! Elody added a red coating to the outer part of the pill and named it ¡®Red Pill¡¯ with the alias ¡®Panacea.¡¯ After preparing batches of red ginseng pills to send to Caville, Elody called Sirka to visit the mansion. ¡°You came here sooner than I expected.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Sirka smiled. Sirka sat across from Elody and studied her expression. ¡®Such confidence!¡¯ He thought as his heart pounded from excitement. Everything from the way she held herself, the way she spoke, to that look of unassable confidence, which said she could do it. He couldn¡¯t do anything but put his trust in her. Elody took out the pill from a small box and held it out to him. ¡°This is¡­¡± Sirka took the pills with his trembling hands and scrutinized it. They had a pretty color, just like a jewel. ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s called the Red Pill.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I see.¡± ¡°You can alsobel it as Panacea. Do you know why?¡± ¡°No, I do not,¡± Sirka said while shaking his head. ¡°Because it¡¯s a remedy for a lot of diseases. Now, listen carefully. As far as this medicine goes¡­.¡± Elody began to exin the efficacy of the pills like a real merchant while Sirka listened to her attentively. ¡°First of all, it strengthens the immune system and helps lower the recurrence of diseases. It is also safe to take, even if you have a fever. Lastly, it reduces fatigue and increases one¡¯s energy.¡± ¡°Wow¡­! Really?¡± Sirka eximed as his eyes glistened after hearing Elody¡¯s words. He looked like he would buy them even if he had to sell his house. ¡°Young people want to take care of their skin these days, don¡¯t they?¡± Elody grinned, ¡°Well, these pills can also improve your skin! Whether you¡¯re a man or a woman!¡± ¡°For the skin!¡± Sirka pped his hands in admiration. ¡°Yes. If you take these pills regrly, your skin will glow and be very smooth!¡± Elody eximed, ¡°Now that I see it, don¡¯t you need to take care of your skin? It feels very dry, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! I¡¯ve been apprehensive about my skintely¡­¡± Sirka looked dejected, but Elody smiled as if telling him not to worry. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. Look at my skin. I only sleep for a few hours in a day, yet my skin still feels silky and smooth.¡± ¡°So, these pills were the secret?!¡± ¡°Yes! I won¡¯t be this confident if I haven¡¯t tried it myself.¡± Sirka was astounded. If he sold this in his country, he would be able to dominate the trade market. ¡°Is there another one?¡± ¡°Of course. This one is¡­ Oh my¡­ how do I say this? It¡¯s very effective for men.¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡­¡­ ¡° ¡°It¡¯s good for men.¡± Elody¡¯s expression was filled with confidence and determination. ¡°Really?!¡± Sirka went wide-eyed, and his eyebrows arched towards the sky. Elody¡¯s mouth felt dry from talking so much, but she still continued. ¡°The pills will take effect as soon as they enter your body. You¡¯ll feel something like this; ¡®Huh?! No¡­ My body?! Huh? This is how good it feels?!¡¯ like that.¡± ¡°Madame is a genius!¡± ¡°It relieves stress and is good for older women. It¡¯s so effective that I don¡¯t know what else to say.¡± Elody said with the most benevolent smile. Sirka nodded his head vigorously at her words. The pill seemed credible enough to save the dead. ¡°But it¡¯s a little bit more expensive than the usual drugs. ¡° It was time to get to the main point. Sirka¡¯s face fell into a nervous expression. ¡°How much¡­?¡± Without a word, Elody took out the papers and ced them on the table. This was their way of talking. Elody preferred to give out papers first before negotiating, and Sirka was already used to it. ¡°¡­You¡¯re going to lose. Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t think it would be bad to sell to aristocrats.¡± ¡°I¡¯m nning to sell them to themoners, too.¡± ¡°But wouldn¡¯t it be difficult for themoners to buy it at this price?¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible through pull marketing strategy. ¡°Oh¡­? What could that be?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a strategy in which we aim to increase the demand for the red ginseng and pull the consumers to the product through promotional acts.¡± ¡°As expected of madame¡­ you should just work with us¡­¡± ¡°Will you give me the highest position?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not¡­ ¡­but. Umm¡­¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ll think about it if I have the chance,¡± Elody said while slightly nodding. ¡°Really?¡± When he heard such a definite answer, Sirka was surprised. Elody looked at him, wondering why he was so surprised. She had nothing to do in the mansion after getting divorced. So it was only right to continue her business rather than to stay around and do nothing. That way, she could continue to help Caville. ¡°You¡¯re not serious, are you?¡± ¡°You can think about my words however you want. Anyway, I¡¯m signing this. Will you sign it too?¡± ¡°¡­Oh, yes! I will buy whatever the duchess makes.¡± The granting of exclusive rights was enough. The down payment, on the other hand, was a little too much. But Sirka knew that the product would be sessful again. ¡®Madame never produces a loss.¡¯ Sirka put his absolute trust in Elody. * * * Afterpleting the contract, Elody was drinking tea in her room. It was her long-awaited break. Suddenly, the scribbles on one side of the wall came into Elody¡¯s sight. Those scribbles were marks that recorded her and Caville¡¯s height every year. ¡°Um¡­¡± Elody walked to the wall and began measuring her height whilst putting her back against the wall. Knock, knock, knock. ¡°Madame, I brought you refreshments.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± Marie came in with a te full of cookies. After putting the te on the table, Marie nced at Elody, who rested on the wall. ¡°Madame, what are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m measuring my height.¡± Elody responded, ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re here, Marie. Can you measure my height?¡± ¡°Alright, madame.¡± Marie put her hand on top of Elody¡¯s head to mark her height. ¡°Huh? I¡­¡± Elody was speechless. ¡®I¡­ Why am I so short?¡¯ ¡°Is this really my height? Shouldn¡¯t I¡¯ve experienced a growth spurt?¡± ¡°No, madame. You were always this tall.¡± The height difference was so little. It was a shocking reality that she didn¡¯t want to believe. ¡®Will the red ginseng make me taller?¡¯ Elody thought for a moment. ¡°Is there a possibility for me to grow taller next year?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I stopped growing taller when I was 19.¡± Marie said as Elody¡¯s expression sank. Marie was much taller than her. Elody was not very short. But she wasn¡¯t considered tall. To put it bluntly, her height was average. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Marie held back herughter. The duchess was diligent and smart, but Marie saw her as her cute little sister. It¡¯s because she had taken care of her since she was young. ¡°But Emily grew half an inch taller even after she turned 20.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Elody said in a very cute tone. ¡°Yes! So don¡¯tin about the food, eat all of it, get enough rest, and then you¡¯ll grow taller!¡± ¡°Are you su~re?¡± Elody¡¯s childlike way of speaking made Marie burst into a loud, harsh cackle ofughter. It was just too cute. Elody too, dissolved into a puddle ofughter and Marie could see her stomach shaking as she fought the gale of giggles. Elodyughed with Mary and then nced back to the wall where she engraved traces of Caville¡¯s height. ¡®Caville will be so tall. I can¡¯t evenpare myself to him.¡¯ Somehow, she was sad and envious. She expected it, but she still wanted to be tall. How wonderful it¡¯d be if she could increase her height. Elody had such a goodugh with Marie. Her mood was good that day even if she kept thinking of Caville in the corner of her mind. Then, time flew by¡­ Unfortunately, after four years, Elody¡¯s height remained the same. Sincest year, Elody had decided to stop marking her height. One day, Elody went to Emily with a question. ¡°Emily, I heard that you grew taller even after you turned 20. Was that true?¡± ¡°Huh? No, madame. I¡¯ve been this tall since I was 16. I¡¯ve had the same height since then!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Madame, you want to grow tall, don¡¯t you? If you eat well¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m done!¡± Marie fooled her. The maids, who have seen Elody since childhood, all giggled at her cute self. On the other hand, the new maids looked surprised to see the older maids treating her in such a friendly manner without hesitation. It was unusual for servants to y tricks on nobles like this. But as time went by, they also adapted to the unusual atmosphere of the mansion. Unlike other aristocrats who are as cold as ice, the duchess always had a warm personality. The servants regarded each other as a family, and the duchess was kind to them. Elody¡¯s expression was filled with betrayal, but Marie still grinned yfully. ¡®How can I be taller¡­.¡¯ It was sad and unfair, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. Her growth seemed to have permanently stopped. On the bright side, Elody was very rich. Her red ginseng business with Sirka became a huge sess. Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha Money was the best constion. Her marketing strategy worked sessfully, and people from all over the Friar continent sought the ¡®Red Pills¡¯. Where there is light, there is also a shadow. The pills were so famous that someone started distributing fake ones. The culprit hadn¡¯t been found, but the merchant guild kept trying to solve the problem. ¡°I¡¯m surprised the temple is so quiet,¡± Elody said. ¡°I know, I don¡¯t even know what they¡¯re up to¡­¡± Sirka replied in annoyance. He didn¡¯t seem to like the temple, and Elody couldn¡¯t agree more with him. Elody was revealed as the producer of the medicines long ago. Of course, she suspected that the temple had something to do with it. Though contrary to her worries, nothing significant had happened. She thought someone from the temple might visit the mansion. But her days were surprisingly calm and peaceful. However, Elody had received several invitations from unknown ces. After Sirka went back, Elody opened each of the invitations on her desk and read its contents. ¡®It¡¯s an invitation from the wives of the warlords¡­¡¯ Elody frowned and ordered Norman to send a letter of refusal. On the other hand, Elody still hadn¡¯t heard anything from the vassals who ignored the order to participate in the war. ¡®They¡¯re so shameless that they¡¯ve never even visited the mansion or at least tried to contact me first.¡¯ The thought of their disgraceful acts was repugnant to her. But truthfully, she had other things to worry about. Elody consistently sent medicines along with letters to Caville. However, there had never been a single reply. ¡°Why hasn¡¯t he written back?¡± ¡°Since he¡¯s in war, it might be difficult for him to exchange letters. ¡°Madame¡­. don¡¯t be too upset,¡± Norman said as Elody nodded with a sad expression. Norman let out a sigh, ¡°More than that, I¡¯m worried that the war will drag on for too long.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve realized it as well.¡± ¡°The decree said that the warsts for 20 years. I hope it doesn¡¯t take that long¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody¡¯s face sank at Norman¡¯s words. Fortunately, the war with the Kingdom of Urta ended in 10 years. Elody gathered her energy and continued to work diligently. She invested all the money she had earned in the territory so it would improve. The avenue was now filled with handsome streets and public buildings; the streets were upied by imposing blocksposed of several new shops and business premises. In a short span of time, the avenue became the center of trade. Rhondia also built a new branch within the territory. It was a magnificent building, erected in a dominant position on the main streets. Elody weed and congratted Rhondia on their newest branch. However, there was a downside as well¡­ ¡°Why are you here again?¡± ¡°Madame, please calm down¡­ You should be weing me with a happy smile!¡± ¡°¡­yes, well¡­ Wee to the duchy.¡± Elody saw Sirka as often as she saw the servants of the mansion. ¡®Is he really the boss of Rhondia¡­?¡¯ He was never busy, and he rarely went to the capital where the main branch was located. Furthermore, he seemed to have settled down in the Cernoir territory and had always visited the mansion as if he was trying to bother Elody on purpose. He would follow her to theb to see how she developed her medicines and try to figure out what kind of drugs she was going to make next. ¡®How annoying¡­¡¯ Elody spoke firmly to Sirka. ¡°Theboratory and the greenhouse are off-limits.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Sirka became sullen for a moment, but then cheered right up and excitedly went to see the knights in the barracks. He seemed no different from a goldfish, which had a memory span of 3 seconds. * * * Elody was currently working in her office. Suddenly, she heard a knock. ¡°Come in,¡± Elody said. ¡°Madame.¡± ¡°Petria, you¡¯re here?¡± It was Petria who came into her office. She was responsible for various projects within the territory. Although she had a cold appearance, Petria used to be amoner and worked as a cashier for a small shop in the market. The first time Elody saw Petria was two years ago in court. She was used of being a thief and, thus, was put on trial by the lord. ¡°She stole money from my store! This is proof!¡± The owner of the store proudly delivered the ledger, supposedly handled by Petria. Elody scrutinized the books. As the intiff said, the money was gone, but there was no evidence that the culprit was Petria. ¡°Do you have any evidence to support your im?¡± ¡°Well, she¡¯s from an orphanage in the slums! Don¡¯t you know how many crimes the childrening from there havemitted on the premises? The chances of them bing pickpockets are a hundred out of a hundred! All of them!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody was speechless. She was tired of his ridiculous ims. Once his usations were over, Petria had the right to speak. It was time for her to defend herself. ¡°I was falsely used. The boss spent the money on his lover without his wife knowing, and he¡¯s plotting against me to hide the truth.¡± ¡°T-that! How dare you use me of such foul things?! You liar!¡± ¡°Keep talking.¡± At Elody¡¯s words, Petria continued to talk with an expressionless face. ¡°In the second week ofst month, exactly 100,000 gold disappeared on the 15th. The total amount that came in that day was 300,000 gold. I remember all the details. Around 10 am a young man purchased items worth 20,000 gold. And three hourster, an older woman¡­.¡± Petria went on like a machine. Stupefied, Elody blinked her eyes. Petria remembered precisely when the boss was away. In the meantime, Elody received the ledger of the store handed by the knight. She checked its contents, and Petria¡¯s words matched perfectly with the evidence. ¡®How can she be so clever?¡¯ Elody thought in admiration. She wanted to apud her but held back. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The intiff¡¯s face turned blue when she spoke in such detail, down to every minute and second. Elodie immediately checked the soldiers to see if her words were valid. While waiting, the intiff¡¯s facial expression was filled with anxiety. Soon, a soldier brought the intiff¡¯s mistress and the person who bought the gift. When the maxims and confessions urred, the boss red at Petria with intensity; it was a look that conveyed a boiling hatred. After all, it was unexpected for an orphan to be able to memorize the contents of the ledger. In the end, it was revealed that the boss took 100,000 gold himself to buy a gift for his mistress. Petria was innocent. Elody eyes glimmered in astonishment as she slowly approached Petria¡­ ¡°You pass!¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± ¡­And hired her in an instant. * * * Since then, Petria had been in charge of numerous things and was rewarded with a generous sry from Elody. Elody started various businesses on thend with the money she earned from developing drugs. Amongst them was the establishment of an orphanage and school. She never hesitated to spend money on children¡¯s education. Education for orphans was a necessity. She wanted to eliminate discrimination and change people¡¯s perceptions. ¡°Madame, this is the breakdown of the cost of materials for the new building in the orphanage.¡± ¡°Were there any difficulties?¡± ¡°No, everything went smoothly as we didn¡¯t spare any expenses. I checked the construction site myself. The dormitory was nice, the children were happy. Oh, and I also chose new teachers for the children.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Well done. You picked adults who aren¡¯t likely to abuse the children, right?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve checked their career thoroughly. I¡¯ve met with the children and gathered their thoughts. I chose only the best of the best. My focus was on people with friendly personalities rather than blunt ones. Of course, their wages are pretty high.¡± ¡°Magnificent! You¡¯ve done a great job.¡± Elody managed to cut off her words before she went on any longer. Petria was someone who could spend hours talking. Petria was the fastest talking person Elody had ever met. She was expressionless, but she talked so fast that Elody got nervous whenever she listened to her. But, the orphanage teachers must have been conscientious, as Petria hired them herself. When Elody thought about Petria interviewing the teachers, she realized that she did not need to worry. Seeing how talkative Petria was, she should have prepared a lot of questions. ¡®They must¡¯ve been so pressured!¡¯ Elody decided to check the orphanage soon. ¡°Come to think of it¡­¡­¡± At that time, an idea popped into Elody¡¯s head. ¡®Where was the location of Caville¡¯s orphanage?¡¯ Elody ordered the maid to bring Norman in. A momentter, the butler entered the room. ¡°Madame, how can I help you?¡± ¡°Norman, please tell me the location of Caville¡¯s orphanage.¡± ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s a slum located close to Baron Vendos¡¯ estate.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not that far.¡± The duchy was quite extensive. Not much had changed since the first Duke took over the territory. Baron Vendos was one of the vassals who took part in the war at Caville¡¯smand. ¡°So he¡¯s strictly within the duke¡¯s mandate, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The time for revenge had finallye. Elody ordered the servant to prepare a carriage immediately. ¡°Wait, you said the orphanage was in the slums?¡± ¡°Yes, madame.¡± ¡°Is it still there?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ the prosperity of the duchy has increased thanks to madame, but there are still some ces where the situation has not improved.¡± It¡¯s heartbreaking that Caville grew up in the slums.¡­ Elody still had a mountain of work to do. She had worked diligently every day, but her workload had not lessened. Managing thend wasn¡¯t as easy as she thought. ¡°Norman, there will be no more slums in the future.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Until Caville returns, I¡¯m going to take care of thisnd and develop every single area.¡± ¡°Madame¡­¡± Norman was so moved he began to sniffle. Elody pretended not to see the state that he was in and averted her gaze. Truth to be told, what she was doing wasn¡¯t just for Caville¡¯s sake. Caville would divorce her once he returns, but Elody didn¡¯t want to leave the duchy. Elody had grown fond of the duchy, where she worked hard enough to make the ce thrive. She wanted to live here, even if she had to live in the countryside or the suburbs. But she didn¡¯t want to go to the slums. The security was poor and it would be hard for her to live in such a ce. So she nned to get rid of all of the underdeveloped areas, for this was her future. Though before that, she had to prioritize punishing the offenders of thew first.
Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha ¡®They¡¯ve been living in thisnd, yet they condoned such abusive acts?¡¯ Elody clenched her fists and headed for the orphanage. Therion, who was currently in charge of the Knights, stood in front of the carriage. ¡°Sir Therion, will you go there directly by horse?¡± Elody asked, then added, ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, for my most important duty is to protect Your Grace.¡± Therion looked as solemn as the knights on a battlefield. ¡°¡­I see, thank you.¡± Elody took Therion¡¯s hand and stepped onto the carriage. Marie followed after her. Subsequently, Sir Therion mounted his horse and apanied them all the way to their destination. ¡°Madame.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Marie moved closer and whispered into Elody¡¯s ear. ¡°Sir Therion seems to like you,¡± she started to giggle. ¡°Marie, he¡¯s a young knight with a bright future!¡± ¡°But the way he looks at you¡­ isn¡¯t it suspicious?¡± she smirked. ¡°Marie.¡± Elody shot her a stern look, and when Marie met her gaze, she pouted. ¡°I mean¡­ you¡¯re beautiful, smart, hard-working, and you manage thend alone,¡± she told her bluntly. ¡°Well, you are married, but your husband has gone to war so¡­¡± ¡°Marie¡­¡± ¡°What I¡¯m saying is¡­ he¡¯s very suspicious.¡± Marie let out a mischievous smile. ¡°His imploring eyes were fixed on you with greedy expectations.¡± ¡°Suspicious and greedy¡­? That¡¯s a bit frightening,¡± Elody replied, not able toprehend her words. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Marie sighed in exasperation. ¡°I have no time for this, I need to strengthen the army and make sure that the mansion is secure.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Whatever you say.¡± Marie said, disappointed at Elody¡¯s clueless self. On the way to the orphanage, Elody tried to work on the documents she had packed, but the road was so bumpy that she could not concentrate. Fortunately, Marie was there to ease her boredom. Then, they stopped by an inn and spent the rest of the night there. Two dayster¡­ Elody had finally arrived at the orphanage. ¡°Are you here to adopt a child?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯d like to see the children first.¡± ¡°¡­Come this way.¡± The staff member that guided Elody was an old man. His breath smelled like alcohol, and dirt was smeared across his cheek and forehead. Plus, the way he talked to Elody was impolite. ¡®She looks like a nobledy, but why would shee to the slums to adopt a child?¡¯ The staff member glowered at Elody in incredulity. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Afterward, the staff showed the children of the orphanage, and Elody was rendered speechless. ¡°Did you not feed them? Why is everyone so skinny and frail?¡± ¡°Ha! Listendy, this is the slums. It¡¯d be weirder if the kids were chubby.¡± Elody¡¯s eyes had warped into a miserable ck. She was furious. ¡°Where¡¯s the director? Bring him here!¡± ¡°You have a pretty short temper¡­ Please wait here for a moment.¡± After a while, the director of the orphanage finally showed herself. ¡°¡­..?!¡± Elody¡¯s eyes and mouth were frozen wide open in an expression of stunned surprise. The director was a chubby old woman. She seemed like avish spender with an opulent lifestyle. Wearing a bright, luxurious dress and expensive jewelry, she unted her riches in every possible way. Elody was speechless, even more so than before! ¡°Thank you foring to our orphanage. What kind of child are you looking for? A boy or a girl? How old do you want them to be?¡± The woman fired questions at her nonstop. Elody, who had enough of her nonsense, stopped her endless questions. ¡°About ten years ago,¡± she spoke, quite bluntly. ¡°There was a seven-year-old boy, who was very thin, had dark hair and pink eyes. He was much smaller than his peers and he looked like a five-year-old.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Well, youngdy. There are a lot of kids like that here.¡± ¡°You locked him up in a dark room and often abused him. pping, trampling, swearing¡­ Can¡¯t you remember more than one or two children?¡± The orphanage director shrugged. Her attitude was impudent and rude, showing that she didn¡¯t care much for what was said. ¡°Mydy, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve heard. but I think you¡¯ve mistaken us for another orphanage¡­.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m sure this is the ce.¡± Elody unfolded an old paper that she had kept within her hands. The paper was something she had treasured ever since she was young. It was a rough sketch of the evil people that she drew with Caville. In short, it was her murder list. ¡°You there! The man with big-nose!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± The man sitting next to the orphanage director shriveled with surprise. He seemed to be the husband of the director. ¡°This is you, right? You¡¯re the one who assaulted Caville the most!¡± She growled in anger. ¡°Wh-what¡­?! No, I didn¡¯t!¡± Elody made a gesture to Therion, who was waiting beside her. He immediately drew his sword and pressed it against the man¡¯s neck. Elody spoke, ¡°You¡¯vemitted a treacherous crime within the duchy. I would¡¯ve tried to be merciful and let you live, but¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll do the same thing again, even if you were deported. So, your punishment shall be death!¡± ¡°No! My Lady! It¡¯s just a misunderstanding! Rather than that, I had the right to discipline him because I was the director!¡± ¡°¡­And he was the child of the former duke.¡± ¡°H-huh?¡± ¡°The one you¡¯d been abusing was the Duke of Cernoir himself!¡± ¡°Wh-what¡­?!¡± They didn¡¯t seem to know that the child they abused had be the acting lord of thend. ¡®How satisfying.¡¯ This area was located the furthest within the duchy, but fortunately, it was located nearby one of the vassal¡¯s territory. Suddenly, Marie barged into the room and shouted, ¡°Madame, they¡¯ve arrived!¡± ¡®Just in time.¡¯ Elody mischievously smiled. Behind Marie, a row of armed soldiers came infiltrating the orphanage. They were Baron Vendos¡¯ guards. ¡°What on earth is happening?! Who do you think you are?!¡± ¡°We are here under the order of the duchess!¡± The director tried to run away, but it was to no avail. On the other hand, the director¡¯s husband and the alcoholic staff kept denying their crimes. Elody ordered the captives to be taken away. Beforeing here, Elody had sent a letter to Baroness Vendos, who lived on the edge of the duchy. The duke¡¯s mansion was so far away that many might attempt to flee during the transfer, which is why the criminals would be locked inside an underground prison in the Vendos¡¯ territory instead. The Baroness epted her offer, enclosing a letter stating that she had not been able to greet the duke in person because there was no time to empty the manor. Elody had also refused her invitation before, so they did not harbor any bad feelings toward each other. ¡°Madame, what about the children?¡± ¡°When the carriage arrives, take them all to thend. Petria will send them to one of the orphanages she manages.¡± ¡°Madame, that¡¯s wonderful news!¡± Elody ordered the soldiers to pick up the carriage from the baron¡¯s mansion. She also ordered them to buy a lot of food supplies at a nearby market. Elody gave the food to the children, and when she saw them eating so whole-heartedly, she let out a genuine smile. ¡°Once the children are full, we shall go back to the mansion.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Grace.¡± After a while, several carriages arrived. The soldiers loaded the children into the carriage. At first, Elody was worried that some children might feel scared or didn¡¯t want to be taken away. But fortunately, all their expressions were bright. They seemed content to leave the orphanage behind. As Elody was leaving, Therion came up to her after calling for their carriage and helped her in. ¡°Madame, you are very kind,¡± Therion said, blush searing right through his cheeks. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody stared into his eyes. It didn¡¯t look as suspicious and greedy as Marie said. Rather, his eyes were clear. ¡°¡­Y-Your Grace?¡± Therion flushed, embarrassed at Elody staring so intensely into his eyes. ¡°Nothing,¡± Elody replied with a nk expression. She climbed onto the carriage, and Marie followed. ¡°Marie, I don¡¯t think Sir Therion is suspicious. His eyes were quite clear.¡± ¡°¡­Madame¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not¡­¡± Marie shook her head and let out a sigh. Ever since she was a child, Elody had always been different. Unlike ordinary girls, she did not blush while watching the knights train, and she did not show interest in popr romance novels. One time, Marie rmended a romance novel to Elody, but her answer was cold. ¡°Those aren¡¯t my cup of tea. Romance novels have repetitive plots.¡± The maids had nothing to say about it. She was such a smartdy. Strangely enough, she was tactless when it came to love. Or maybe, she was just not interested? Even though the knights gawked at her with admiration, Elody¡¯s expression was indifferent. Her eyes would only sparkle once in a while. First, it was whenever she saw the duke. Second, it was when she studied. And third, it was when she earned a lot of money. Marie stared at Elody with worried eyes. If a person harbored feelings for Elody, she would only realize it after he confessed. Marie was worried about Elody. How would she be able to handle such situations when she was so dense? Furthermore, it seemed that the number of her admirers had increased a lot. * * * Elody had finally gotten revenge for Caville. But in truth, Caville had already forgotten all those people that had abused him. At the age of 17, his trauma had disappeared entirely. On the other hand, all Caville could think about was Elody¡¯s words, which gave him strength. In fear that her tender voice and friendly words might be forgotten, Caville thought of her every day. Four years on the battlefield were enough to turn a boy into a young man. Caville was now 17 years old. The boy, who worried about Elody because he was much smaller than his age indicated, became unrecognizable. ¡°Your Grace, it seems like the meeting is getting longer again,¡± Brien reported while bowing. Ren, who stood beside him, sighed in disappointment. ¡°It¡¯s just meaningless banter.¡± ¡°How many years has it been? If they keep provoking the Imperial Army, then the empire will soon have an internal dispute.¡± Brien nudged Ren¡¯s shoulder as if telling him to take a hint. ¡°Ren, be quiet.¡± Brien scowled. ¡°¡­Oops.¡± The Imperial Army and the temple were unable to narrow down their differences. The emperor wanted to advance and seize the Empire of Urta, but the temple wanted to retreat as far back as possible. Of course, both sides wanted to destroy the Empire of Urta. However, the temple did not want their priests and pdins to be wounded. They wanted the Imperial Knights to take the lead and suffer injuries in their stead. But logically, pdins of the temples had to stand in the front. This was because the steel shields of the Urta warriors could only be pierced with divine power. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville silently wiped the blood from his sword. Brien and Ren shared nervous nces. The knights, including Brien and Ren, were terrified. Caville¡¯s face was emotionless, his eyes werepletely empty, but they showed malevolence under his unbrushed, jet ck hair.
Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha Over the years, Caville¡¯s physique had changed from a young boy to an unrecognizable man. He had grown up much more drastically than Ren and Brien. It was all thanks to him training constantly. Brien had never seen Caville rest. It was mysterious how a human could train for such long periods of time without taking even a single break¡­ ¡°Has there been any news about the duchy?¡± ¡°Nothing, Your Grace.¡± Brien replied. Caville¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Alright, you are dismissed.¡± Brien bowed to Caville and left the barracks. Ever since arriving at the battlefield, there had been no contact from the mansion whatsoever. ¡®She said she¡¯d write me a letter, but¡­.¡¯ Not a single letter had arrived from Elody so far. Even though Caville felt sad, he was worried that something might have happened to her in the mansion. He wondered if he should just kill all those in the Imperial Army and the temple¡¯s soldiers. Caville only had one purpose. To end the war quickly and return to his house, where Elody was waiting. ¡°You seem to be in a bad mood.¡± After he was left alone, the brooch on Caville¡¯s chest let out a puff of red smoke. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood to chat with you today.¡± ¡°Giving me the cold feet, I see.¡± Caville stared at the red silhouette who seemed offended. The silhouette that was floating like a cloud soon changed into the shape of a red wolf. The wolf climbed onto Caville¡¯s fluffy bed andid down. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t the bed cold? I wonder why?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville clicked his tongue and gave a cold stare towards the grumbling wolf. It had already been 4 years since Caville met this so-called mysterious prick. Four years ago, Caville, a weak young boy, heard a voice calling out to him from within his brooch. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I guess you can finally hear my voice. Hmm, hmm¡­ I am the one who can give you strength!¡± He eximed. ¡°By the way, where is the girl who revived me back to life?¡± ¡°Girl?¡± ¡°Yes, a girl with pink hair.¡± ¡°Elody? Are you talking about my wife?¡± ¡°Are you an idiot? I would have said it before if I knew her name. Anyway, that pink-haired-girl saved me when I was dying. Seems like her name is Elody, but why am I in your possession? What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Why should I tell you my name?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Seeing your ck hair and pink eyes, you must be a Cernoir.¡± ¡°My name¡¯s Caville.¡± ¡°Yes, Caville Cernoir. Why do you have this brooch?¡± ¡°My wife gave me this brooch.¡± ¡°I see¡­ Well, anyway, since you have the Cernoir name, you seem adequate enough to be the sessor of this brooch.¡± Caville couldn¡¯t understand what the voice was saying. The unknown entity began to exin. ¡°A long time ago, I chose to serve the first Duke of Cernoir. He made a contract with me, and I generously shared my strength with him.¡± ¡®¡­¡­¡¯ ¡°Now, would you sign a contract with me? You said you wanted to be strong! Don¡¯t you want to have power?¡± ¡°I want to have power.¡± ¡°Okay, then sign a contract with me.¡± ¡°My wife told me not to take requests from strangers.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± From that day on, Caville would always reject his words, but the entity continued to persuade him. He couldn¡¯t just throw away the brooch that Elody gave him. Nevertheless, deep inside his heart, he had an urge to tear it to pieces¡­ Eventually, Caville got irritated by the entity¡¯s noisy requests, so he gave in and asked, ¡°What happens after I sign the contract?¡± The entity urgently replied, ¡°Cernoirs usually have the power to control mana. You will have to train that power and give it to me.¡± ¡°What nonsense is that? Won¡¯t I be better off without it? What¡¯s in it for me? Why do I have to give you my mana?¡± He didn¡¯t make any sense, so Caville pointed out the errors in his logic. ¡°When I get stronger, you¡¯ll get stronger too! The moment you turn into a skilled Swordmaster, I will be released from the brooch¡¯s seal. And If I gain the body of an adult, you¡¯ll be able to use all of my strength!¡± ¡°What is your power?¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± heughed. ¡°Oh, dear heavens! You don¡¯t know anything, do you?¡° Caville was offended by his sarcastic speech. ¡°I¡¯m not talking to you anymore.¡± ¡°Ahhh! No! Why are you upset?!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Please talk to me. I¡¯ve been alone for too long¡­.¡± ¡°.¡­Who the hell are you?¡¯ ¡°Curious about my name now, aren¡¯t you? Yes, you must be curious. Very curious indeed.¡± He said in a mischievous tone. ¡°Then would you be so kind as to sign a contract with me? Call me by my name, and the contract will be sealed!¡± ¡°¡­..Nah, I¡¯m not that curious.¡± ¡°Argh! You cheeky brat, are you toying with me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you¡¯re too loud. Be quiet and let me ponder about my dear wife.¡± Caville was determined, but the entity within the brooch persistently tried to grow closer to him. As time passed, he seemed to have learned a thing or two about Caville. He found out about Caville¡¯s troubles and his greatest weakness. ¡°You want to go back to your wife soon?¡± ¡°¡­Of course.¡± ¡°Then, would you like to sign a contract with me?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because if you release my seal, the war will end in a jiffy.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°Yes, I wouldn¡¯t dare to lie. If I don¡¯t sign a contract with you, then I¡¯ll have to rot in here for the rest of my life! Woe is me!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Even after I¡¯m released, I promise to be your subordinate and obey your orders for all eternity! Now, isn¡¯t this a good deal? What do you say?!¡± ¡°Can you guarantee it on a written contract?¡± ¡°Wha¡­ how did you learn this?¡± ¡°Of course, I learned everything from Elody.¡± Caville replied proudly. The brooch clicked its tongue andined that he had a lot of doubts about the youngdy. Eventually, Caville documented all the conditions he wanted. And signed a contract with him. ¡°My name is Ifrit, the Spirit King of Fire. Now, call me by my name, Caville Cernoir.¡± ¡°Ifrit. I shall sign a contract with you.¡± At that time, a strong light emanated from the red jewel wherein the light had umted. And what appeared in front of Caville¡¯s eyes was¡­ ¡°¡­.Wh-what have you be?¡± Was a little puppy with red fur¡­ ¡°Behold! This is the body of the spectacr Spirit King, Ifrit!!!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± He looked like a small, helpless puppy. He was as tiny as a baby. It had small wings on his back. They were so thin that Caville thought pulling it too hard might cause it to rip. ¡°Now¡­ this is what I look like because you¡¯re weak. But the more you increase your strength and supply me with mana, the better I will grow!¡± He said, wagging his tail. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville thought he was scammed. Four yearster¡­ Cavill learned how to properly control the mana in his body. As a result of periodically supplying mana to Ifrit, the small puppy, he had now grown into a huge wolf. Caville thought he was a dog, but he turned out to be a wolf. Anyway, Caville didn¡¯t like Ifrit as he often irritated him. So whenever Ifrit jumped on to Caville¡¯s bed, he would not hesitate to kick the red wolf to the floor. ¡°It hurts!¡± The wolf yelped. ¡°Why have you been the same for 4 years? I¡¯ve grown up, and I¡¯m constantly supplying my mana to you. Exin to me why you still act like an annoying pest.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Supplying mana was quite painful. It felt like drawing his own blood and shaving away his own flesh. ¡°This is different from our initial promise. You said the war will end¡­¡± ¡°Hey, master. This is not my fault. You must reach the level of a Swordmaster to win the war. This is just the beginning.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lot of talk for someone who¡¯s consuming mana without doing anything.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m always grateful for that. I will definitely repay you once I be an adult.¡± ¡°¡­Get lost.¡± ¡°Haa¡­¡± he sighed. ¡°You were way cuter as a child.¡± Ifrit grumbled and went back to his brooch. Caville now knew why the brooch was a magic artifact. The brooch that Elody gave, was an artifact that contained the strength of a powerful spirit. Caville let out a sigh while pressing down on his temples. He got up and went back to training. His eyes were filled with sorrow. For the past 4 years, all he could think about was Elody. He missed her a lot. * * * After arriving at the estate, Elody took the children to an orphanage managed by Petria. ¡°Make sure that none of the children are sick or injured.¡± ¡°Yes, Madame.¡± As Elody had expected, a significant number of children had bruises all over their bodies. There was even a child with a broken arm. Elody decided to check if there was enough medicine for their treatments. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, madame.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m relieved you¡¯re here, Petria.¡± After all the inspections were done, Elody went back to the castle. At that time, a child from the slums ran up to Elody and tugged on her dress. ¡°¡­What is this? Are you giving this to me?¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± It was a skinny little girl. The child was giving her a daisy. When the child was given medical treatment, there was a lot of whipping bruises on her back. Her wounds had reminded Elody of Caville. Elody secretly wiped her tears while watching the doctor heal her frail body. ¡°Why are you giving me this?¡± ¡°I wanted to thank you for buying me delicious bread¡­¡± ¡°Why, thank you. It¡¯s very beautiful.¡± Elody bent her knees and smiled at the child. Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha The girl smiled shyly and fiddled with her fingers. Seeing her innocent act, Elody sniffed the flower and eximed in exaggeration. ¡°Wow, the scent is really good. Have you tried smelling it?¡± The girl shook her head. Elody gave the flower to the child. ¡°Do you like the aroma?¡± Elody asked. ¡°Yes,¡± the girl replied. Elody then smiled and patted the girl¡¯s head. ¡°I am grateful, thank you for this. I will certainly cherish it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The girl smiled and let out a soft giggle. She reminded Elody of Caville. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°¡­I do not have one.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have a name?¡± Elody frowned. ¡°No, they just called me you.¡± ¡°¡­Will you let me name you then?¡± ¡°Really? I¡¯m allowed to have a name?¡± she asked with sparkling eyes. ¡°Well, of course.¡± Elody smiled. Elody then shifted her gaze towards the flower that the child gave her. An idea immediately struck her mind. She spoke, ¡°Ah! Your name shall be¡­ Daisy.¡± A pretty smile hung around the child¡¯s lips as she admired her newfound name. ¡°Well, till next time, Daisy.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­!¡± The child hurriedly returned to the orphanage building, iling her hand several times. Elody decided that she should give names to all of the children who wille to live in the orphanage in the future. As Elody got up and turned around, she found Marie standing in front of the carriage with a proud expression, her hands put together, and beside her¡­ ¡°¡­What¡¯s wrong?¡± Was Sir Therion, crying at the heartwarming scene before him. Sir Therion immediately wiped his tears with his sleeve. Marie looked at Therion with a tired expression and guided Elody to the carriage. ¡°Your Grace, I¡­!¡± ¡°Na-ah!¡± Terion reached out and tried to escort Elody on the carriage, but Marie pped the back of his hand. After getting on the carriage, Elody sighed in exhaustion. ¡°Marie, you had a hard time. Let¡¯s just eat red ginseng when we get back.¡± ¡°Yes, more than that, Madame¡­ about Sir Therion.¡± ¡°Oh, right. Why was he crying?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡®Because he¡¯s in love with you.¡¯ Marie stared at Elody. She was far too oblivious. ¡°He was so emotional. I guess he really pitied the children. Hmm¡­ maybe I should let him help around the orphanage.¡± ¡°Oh, yes¡­. Well, go ahead.¡± In the end, Marie gave up trying to exin and turned her head. It might be better for the duchess not to be aware of his feelings. Momentster, Elody and Marie finally arrived at the mansion. They were utterly exhausted, but as they were about to get off the carriage, Norman greeted the Duchess with an anxious look. ¡°Madame¡­¡± ¡°What is it, Norman?¡± ¡°Madame, have you heard about¡­. the Empire of Brenbell?¡± ¡°¡­Well, yes,¡± Elody nodded. ¡°Why?¡± Brenbell was a small empire located in the west of the Friar continent, on an ind just beyond the Strait of Hroa. Sirka had spoken about the empire a few times. The empire was known for its mana crystals, and it was also not far from the duchy. ¡°The Prince of the Brenbell Empire has arrived. It looks like he encountered monsters while passing through the Forest of Death.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± The Forest of Death was a forbidden area. Everyone knew that it was strictly prohibited to enter the forest because of the frequent monster attacks. ¡°Where is he now?¡± ¡°He is in the parlor.¡± ¡°But¡­ is he really the Prince of the Brenbell Empire?¡± ¡°Well, it seems like so. The Prince said that he was on his way to the capital. He also called for a doctor to heal his injured knights.¡± ¡°Alright. Well done, Norman.¡± After changing her outfit, Elody immediately headed to the parlor where the Prince of Brenbell Empire was waiting. * * * ¡°Why did Your Highness pass through the Forest of Death?¡± ¡°I have an urgent schedule. So I chose the fastest route¡­¡± Elodyid down her teacup and stared at the prince. The blond man introduced himself as Prince Andreas Brenbell. And next to him was a young man who appeared to be his aide. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of the monsters in the forest, but chose not to believe it,¡± he sighed. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve ventured outside of the Empire.¡± ¡°Oh¡­.¡¯ ¡°And there aren¡¯t monsters in our kingdom. Hence, why I thought that the rumor was nothing but a fairy tale.¡± The Prince¡¯s remarks made his aide released a breath he didn¡¯t even know he was holding. His sigh was resigned and weary. ¡°I have warned you over and over again¡­.¡± The princeughed at the aide¡¯s words. ¡®He seems a bit¡­cking.¡¯ ¡°I see¡­.¡± Elody replied, ncing towards the two. Due to their dyed schedule, the prince and his entourage were said to have passed through the Forest of Death. They were on their way to the capital, and their destination was the Imperial Pce. On the way to the capital, they met a group of monsters, and as a result, the knights suffered a ton of injuries. Then, he went to the duchy and came to the mansion for help. ¡°But thanks to the Duchess, we survived.¡± ¡°Well, it was the least I could do.¡± ¡°No, I will certainly repay the favor.¡± Elody nced at the Prince¡¯s bandaged arm. It doesn¡¯t seem like his injured arm was the one he used to wield a sword. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, what business do you have with the Imperial Pce?¡± Elody asked lightly. Elody spected that it might have something to do with war. But his reaction was quite¡­ peculiar. ¡®Why is he blushing¡­?¡¯ ¡°Well, I¡¯m 17 years old, and I don¡¯t have a fianc¨¦¡­ So I n to search for a bride at the ball. Unfortunately, the women in my empire are far from my personal preference.¡± ¡°Oh, alright¡­.¡± Contrary to her thoughts, his reason wasn¡¯t that serious. Elody had also received the invitation, so she immediately understood. She felt bitter. ¡®My baby is struggling on the battlefield, but he¡¯s holding a grand ball instead¡­.¡¯ ¡°Hmm, but I don¡¯t think I have to go to the capital anymore.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Do you have¡­ a sister?¡± Prince Andreas gazed at Elody subtly. He felt it in his bones, his meeting with the Duchess was none other than destiny! He had never felt such feelings before. Her smooth snowke skin matched her personality ¨C devoid of any warmth. Nheless, he was intrigued by her. The pink-haireddy in front of him was so ravishing yet so mysterious indeed¡­ It was a pity that she was already married. Elody replied in distraught, ¡°I do not have a younger sister. So, I suggest you go to the capital instead.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± ¡°Rather than that, did you say that you were seventeen?¡± ¡°Yes, I did.¡± In response to Elody¡¯s question, the prince gazed at Elody with anticipation. ¡®She seems to be uninterested. But she¡¯s asking about my age. Could she be¡­?¡¯ Prince Andreas smiled at the thought of Elody showing interest in him. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking¡­ What do people in your age usually worry about?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Prince Andreas¡¯ expression fell faster than a bird with a broken wing. He was disappointed and confused. Nheless, he swallowed his pride and began to boast instead. ¡°Uh¡­. Well, I usually think about the empire¡¯s situation¡­ like the citizens, political affairs and¡­ uh, trade?¡± Prince Andreas said, voice full of pride even though his answer was doubtful. Elody, being as dense as she was, widened her eyes in astonishment and nodded at his words. When the prince told Elody of such lies, his aide snorted and tried his best to hold back hisughter. ¡®So if Caville had not gone to war, he would have worried about the same thing.¡¯ ¡°Hmm¡­ I see.¡± The aide next to the prince pretended to cough and spoke, ¡°First, I¡¯d like to apologize to the Duchess for the sudden and rude intrusion. But would you be so kind as to let us stay here for a few days? I will handle the procedures, and I will also contact the Imperial Pce about our dyed arrival.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Elodie nodded. The Brenbell Empire was the only empire that produced mana crystals. There was nothing wrong with doing a good deed. Besides, he might return the favor one day. ¡°Yes, of course. I¡¯ve told the servants to prepare dinner, so take a rest.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Grace.¡± Elody got up, dropped a curtsy, and left the parlor. ¡°Does the Duchess have a crush on me?¡± ¡°Your Highness, please don¡¯t get ahead of yourself. She is a married woman.¡± ¡°The Duke¡¯s in war, right? Won¡¯t he just die in battle?¡± ¡°Your Highness! Sometimes you can be very immature¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see, Carlson. It won¡¯t be long until she falls for my charms.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± * * * Andreas washed up and came out dressed in nice clothes. As he entered the dining room, Elody stared at the prince and thought to herself. ¡®His outfit¡­ is very unusual.¡¯ The news about the handsome prince spread all over the mansion, and the maids gathered to peek a nce at him. ¡°Thank you for such wonderful treatment. When I return to my empire, I will send you a hoard of mana crystals.¡± ¡°Why, thank you.¡± Elody did not refuse. As she sipped her tea, Elody thought, ¡®Are there any mines in the duchy?¡¯ If there was at least a single mine, she would have made more money than she had now¡­ ¡°Your Grace¡¯s hair color is stunning. I am mesmerized by your beauty.¡± ¡°Thank you for thepliments.¡± ¡°How about me? Do you like my blonde hair?¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± Elody¡¯s answer made the prince even more aroused. She only gave him short answers, but he was not irked. In fact, it only raised his temptation even more. ¡°Then¡­ have you heard of our empire?¡± ¡°Yes, certainly.¡± ¡°In our kingdom, we are very tolerant of remarriage.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Prince Andreas thought that she was ying coy to get his attention. He thought of her as cute. But the longer their conversation went, the weirder it became. ¡®It feels like talking to a wall. Is it just me¡­?¡¯ ¡°Uh¡­ could you tour me around the mansion tomorrow?¡± At the prince¡¯s words, Elody replied firmly. ¡°I am very busy. I¡¯ll have a servant to show you around.¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s not¡­¡± ¡°I shall leave now. Good night.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Unfortunately for the prince, Elody was a girl whose love cells converged at zero. Moving into this world, the most important thing for her was parenting Caville, to be quietly divorced, and then spend the rest of her life peacefully. She had never had a rtionship in her previous life. She had never noticed guys who tried to get her attention. The biggest reason for that was her disinterest in love. Elody never had much of an interest in the opposite sex. Their words of affections, sweet nothings, and even the gazes they made. None of them had ever worked on her. Caville, of course, upied most parts of Elody¡¯s brain. Next was ¡®The Management of the Duchy¡¯, then ¡®Life after divorce¡¯, ¡®Remedy for incurable disease¡¯, and, ¡®Red Ginseng¡¯. And what upied a tiny part was ¡®Sirka¡¯s annoyance¡¯, ¡®Research on new crops¡¯, and so on. There was simply no time for her to think about ¡®Love¡¯. Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha Ever since then, the Prince had consistently expressed interest in Elody. Unfortunately, he never seeded in having a proper conversation. ¡°Your Highness, please just give up,¡± Carlson said, striking his nerve. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody¡¯s days were packed. She was very busy, unlike Prince Andreas, who had nothing to do. ¡°Do be careful, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± It was finally time for him to leave for the capital, but he still hadn¡¯t gotten any achievements. He had been openly courting Elody from day one, but talking to her was like talking to a wall. ¡®Is she not interested in me, or is she misunderstanding something?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t sleep. Nheless, the more he got rejected, the bigger his feelings grew. He couldn¡¯t help wanting to follow his heart over his head. ¡°Well, Duchess. I¡¯d like to talk to you for a moment.¡± ¡°What? Oh, yes. Go ahead.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The Prince nced towards Carlson and the maids. They took a hint and immediately stepped back. Elody, on the other hand, was confused as to why they were backing away. ¡®How is she so dense¡­.¡¯ Andreas thought, staring at Elody. ¡®Yes, I¡¯ll just say it directly!¡¯ He was determined. ¡°Duchess, if by any chance¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t get a bride by the time I reach adulthood¡­.¡± he said nervously. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°And your husband doesn¡¯te back from war¡­ Then, will youe to the Empire of Brenbell?¡± Elody frowned. ¡°My husband will return safely,¡± she snarled. ¡°Yes, of course. Of course¡­ But, let¡¯s just say, if he doesn¡¯t-¡° ¡°There¡¯s no such thing. He will never use the sea route. ¡®Also¡­ winter ising.¡¯ Elody pictured Caville shaking in the cold weather. ¡®I can¡¯t do anything about it¡­ It¡¯s going to be cold, so I¡¯ll have to make more winter clothes.¡¯ The West and the East were separated by mountains. The Catan Mountains, where the ice caps fell, was the only path for travelers to pass. Beyond the mountain range was the Empire of Dayev, the heroine¡¯s homnd, and further east was the Empire of Urta. ¡®They¡¯ll meet in a few years¡­¡¯ After destroying the Empire of Dayev, the Empire of Urta sought to invade the Western Continent. The motivations for the colonial expansion were to exploit their resources to bolster their own economies and expand theirnd. However, their coalition forces were weak. That¡¯s why the Urtans kidnapped and murdered mages and priests. ¡®Though the answers are always the same.¡¯ A priest was sent near the border to spy on the situation, but he had never told any valuable information. He continued to answer that the situation was unknown, and that excuse had already been repeated for years. ¡®If I could, I¡¯d like to go there myself¡­¡¯ But Elody couldn¡¯t leave thend empty for so long. She was responsible for looking after thend until Caville returned. Elody fiddled her fingertips nervously. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Suddenly, she could feel a slight burning sensation on her pinky. And then, her pinky went stiff and numb. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me¡­ is this one of the symptoms of the incurable disease?!¡¯ The novel stated that the disease hardened the body like stone. ¡®Why am I already¡­? Her illness should¡¯ve begun when she was about to be banished.¡­. ¡®What¡¯s happening to me?¡¯ The original Elody tried to poison the princess. It was a poison that hardened the body like a stone. As retribution, Elody suffered the same exact disease and died. Her expression sank. ¡®What if I get sick and die before Caville gets back?¡¯ If she died before she could see Caville again¡­. Fear came over her. * * * Ever since that day, Elody began to study the cure for her illness. ¡®I was a fool to think that I had all the time in the world.¡¯ She ordered Sirka to purchase all kinds of rare herbs. She had read and studied books about herbs so much now she could remember every single sentence. And so, two years passed by¡­ Caville was neen, and Elody turned twenty-five. There were only four years left before Caville returned. Elody constantly studied the disease but found no cure. She had researched almost all the herbs in the world, but none of them were the answer to the cure she needed. Her condition had worsened, and she could no longer move both her ring finger and pinky. A few months ago, Elody found a familiar-looking grass while passing through the ginseng field. ¡°Anna, what is this?¡± ¡°This one? We¡¯ve talked about it before, but madame was busy working on something else¡­. I¡¯ve got it set aside, but it¡¯s still growing¡­.¡± Elody observed the grass. The stems were green but its leaves were red. She remembered seeing it somewhere when she was studying red ginseng. ¡°Anna, where are all the herbs you¡¯ve collected? Can you bring them to me?¡± ¡°Yes, madame.¡± In pursuit of hope, Elody studied the unknown herb. She learned that if she dried the stems and regrly took the meds, it could be used as a remedy for her illness. After the symptoms began, Elody, who had been crying to sleep almost every night, felt like she had just been rescued from hell. From that day on, she had been taking steady doses of medicine. And now, several monthster, her symptoms were gradually getting better. However, there was a question still left unanswered. ¡®Can I make use of the leaves?¡¯ The grass was of an unknown species, but it was the remedy for her illness. Thus, she named it ¡®Grass of Salvation.¡¯ The grass was very unusual. They were simr to clovers, but the roots were thinner and longer. Elody was able to figure out the use of the stem, but not the odd red leaf which had a simr color to roses. The ingredients were found to be free of poison. She found out that theponents were safe. However, she was doubtful because of its bizarre appearance. Elody fiddled with the tip of her little finger, which she still couldn¡¯t feel very well. ¡®It¡¯s safe so¡­ I¡¯ll just try it!¡¯ She advanced with an unflinching determination. Elody dried the red leaves, boiled them, and drank them as herbal tea. And precisely a few dayster. ¡°Cough, Cough!¡± Elody coughed to her handkerchief. But when she saw her handkerchief, she almost fainted. ¡°Wha-?!¡± The handkerchief was covered with dark red blood. Her mouth hung with lips slightly parted, and her eyes were as wide as they could stretch. She immediately wiped the blood off her mouth. Strangely enough, when she vomited blood, she could vividly feel her fingertips. It was as if the treatment had worked. ¡®No way, it can¡¯t be.¡¯ But after two weeks, her fingertips were numb again. That was when Elody had learned about the perfect remedy. First of all, dried medicinal tea is regrly taken two or three cups a day. And the leaves were also made of medicinal tea and had to be eaten once a month. ¡°Thank heavens.¡± The stem kept the cells in the body active, preventing the paralysis. And the leaves made one spew out the dead blood that paralyzed the cells. In short, the symptoms were alleviated every time she threw up blood. Elody finally smiled at her sess, she could finally get a good night¡¯s sleep. But¡­ she spent thest two years desperately studying herbs, and she couldn¡¯t get rid of the bloodstained handkerchiefs. Elody would¡¯ve never imagined that the handkerchiefs could cause great misunderstandings among the servants. Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha Elody was deliriously happy, giddy even. The weight lifted from her shoulders felt as if an overlyrge child had just leaped off after a satisfying piggyback ride. She looked more energetic than usual and the servants rejoiced at the sight of the Duchess. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that the madame looks happy these days?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve noticed that too! I¡¯m so d¡­.¡± The servants who followed Elody soon began to regain their vigor. Their days in the mansion were very peaceful, that is¡­ until the ¡®handkerchief¡¯ incident happened. * * * Caville finally fought his first battle. The battle ended quickly, and the Empire of Heklos earned their first victory. This was all due to Caville¡¯s extraordinary leadership skills. He led his troops to victory and tore apart the opponents¡¯ shields as if they were nothing but paper. After the battle, Caville came back to the barracks covered in blood. Brien followed him from behind. ¡°Your Grace, I¡®ll prepare your bath right away. Are your injuries alright? I¡¯m still talking with the pdins¡­¡± ¡°If you still wish to be a pdin, I won¡¯t stop you.¡± ¡°¡­I apologize.¡± Brien lowered his head and left the room, he then ordered the soldiers to prepare water for Caville¡¯s bath. ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°The same as usual,¡± Brien sighed. Caville wanted to quickly finish the war. However, the war was halted due to the internal dispute between the Temple and the Imperial Government. The pdins did not follow the High Priest¡¯s orders, even though they had to be in the front lines. Their disy of cowardice decelerated the battle. Of course, Caville had improved tremendously. His skills had leveled up to that of a legendary swordmaster. However, this war was fought in cooperation with the Imperial Army and the Temple. So he couldn¡¯t end the war by himself. Furthermore, the Urtan warriors were equipped with strong armor. ¡°Will His Grace be alright?¡± Ren asked. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s like he¡¯s no longer human¡­¡± Brien¡¯s expression darkened, but Ren¡¯s words were right. Brien had watched Caville grow up since he was young, and he knew how drastically Caville had changed. The boy, who used to be a crybaby, grew up like an emotionless human being. He had multiple near-death-experiences on the battlefield, but his hollow eyes remained the same. The cold look reflected on Caville¡¯s face gave him shudders. ¡°You needn¡¯t worry too much,¡± Brien said. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Unlike the past, the vassals were now loyal to Caville Cernoir. Anyone would have been his loyal subjects if they had seen his heroic acts on the battlefield. Everyone cared and respected him. Caville was a natural-born leader. He strove to do no harm in all he did, and when it came to the tasks, he always pushed himself to the limits. He would never give up on a fellow soldier. When someone died, he would kill ten enemies to avenge the soldier¡¯s death. Not long ago, Baron Bernard, one of the Duke¡¯s vassals, was taken hostage by the Urtans. Caville chased the entire army alone. He wiped out all the small troops and rescued the Baron. The vassals had finally looked up to him in great respect. However, his heart seemed to be made of stone. He massacred a troop of knights without batting a single eye. Just as Ren had said, his empty eyes seemed to have no sense of humanity. * * * But inside the barracks, Caville¡¯s expression was no longer cold. He only showed his unfriendly demeanor in front of his subordinates because it was Elody¡¯s advice. Though¡­ the biggest reason was that he waszy. ¡°I have to end the war¡­¡± Caville murmured to himself. ¡°Why are you in such a hurry? Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to murder those in the Imperial Army and the Temple?¡± Ifrit asked. Ifrit was now as big as a human, his red fur was glossy and thick. The wings on his back had also grown. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I wanted to kill them because they annoyed the hell out of me.¡± Caville clicked his tongue. ¡°But at the end of the day, the only way to end this war is to defeat the Urta Empire.¡± Caville took off his armor and threw off all the clothes he wore. The constant years of training had gained him a well-toned and muscr body, but they were filled with battle scars. He then proceeded to dip his body into the wooden bathtub. Caville stared at Ifrit. ¡°How much longer do I have to wait for you to grow? I don¡¯t think I need you anymore.¡± Contrary to his harsh words, Caville reached out his hand to Ifrit. The blue light from his fingertips headed straight to the wolf¡¯s mouth. ¡°¡­I told you to wait a bit longer! Eating a lot of mana doesn¡¯t mean that I¡¯d grow up in a sh! And why are you still giving me your mana?! You¡¯re gonna tire your body at this rate! Stop it! I¡¯ve eaten earlier!¡± he nagged. ¡°Just shut up and eat.¡± ¡°Geez, what amazing temper you have!¡± Caville rolled his eyes and continued washing. A few momentster, he finished taking a bath and came out of the tub. ¡°Ugh, please cover yourself.¡± Ifrit grumbled, turning his head. Caville did not mind his words and continued wiping himself with a dry towel. Then, he dressed in his garments. ¡°I don¡¯t need you anymore. I¡¯m going to end the war alone.¡± ¡°B-but! You just have to wait a bit longer! Just a teeny weeny bit longer!¡± Ifrit stared at him with puppy dog eyes. ¡°How long is that?¡± Caville frowned. ¡°Uh¡­. hahaha. About a month¡­? Why are you in such a hurry anyway?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Then, Caville recalled a story that the knights were sharing a few days ago¡­ ¡°Hey, do you know the tall, skinny guy, the knight in Count Kimmel¡¯s troop? The one who¡¯s grumpy all the time!¡± ¡°Ah, yes. His wife cheated on him, right?¡± ¡®Wait, what?! Seriously? Tsk-tsk. He¡¯s irritating, but now I feel a bit sorry for the guy.¡± ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s a junkie now,¡± the knight tattled. ¡°Oh, look! The guy with freckles! Didn¡¯t his wifemit suicide?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ that¡¯s why people should be like us! Marriage is such a hassle!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ the pdins are still bastards though.¡± The pdins were a public enemy to the allied forces who gathered in the name of the Empire. The allied forces treated them like cowardly trash, and the pdins thought to abandon the unholy confederacy. The conversation between the allied knights and the soldiers usually ended with cursing the pdins. Caville¡¯s expression sank when he listened to their conversation. That¡¯s why he was in such a hurry. Caville took an old piece of paper out of his pockets and stared at it. That was the only letter he had ever received from Elody. He treasured the letter so much. He read it over and over again until the letters had faded. ¡°I¡¯m scared¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Ifrit stared at Caville, puzzled by his unusual behavior. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that my wife might have forgotten me. I have not received any letter¡­ What if she got married to another guy?¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re scared of that?¡± ¡°Yes, or¡­ What if she¡¯s dead?¡± ¡°¡­How about you think about your own death. We are literally in war right now.¡± ¡°Shut up or I¡¯ll rip you to pieces.¡± Caville glowered. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ifrit turned his head in annoyance. He thought it¡¯d be best if he did not answer back. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡®What if she¡¯s dead?¡¯ Caville contemted onitting suicide if that was true. ¡®But how will I find Elody? Will we be able to meet again?¡¯ In the midst of serious thoughts, Ifrit talked his mind at ease. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! If she was nning to run away with another man, I¡¯ll definitely find her!¡± He eximed. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville snorted. ¡°What? Are you looking down on me? You¡¯ll be surprised to know how sensitive my nose is. I can track everything even if they were at the ends of the earth!¡± Ifrit boasted. ¡°¡­But you¡¯re so weak. Are you even sure that you¡¯re the Spirit King of Fire?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ifrit pouted, he was genuinely hurt by his words. He sulked for a while, and after he calmed down, heunched another counterattack. ¡°I mean, I would run away too if I were her! Honestly, who¡¯d wait for their husband to return from war? Besides, it¡¯s already been 6 years! Not just 1 or 2 years! It¡¯s 6 years I tell you!¡± ¡°You dare speak one more word.¡± Caville looked daggers at him. ¡°Yelp!¡± Caville wanted to kick the wolf, but his words weren¡¯t entirely wrong. No matter how talented he was, it was impossible for him to annihte the Empire of Urta alone. He had massacred a bunch of them, but they kept appearing each and every time! It¡¯s like there was never an end to their army! They kidnapped priests and mages to study mana. So Caville also did not know if they had any other tricks up their sleeves. And so, Caville decided to wait a little longer. A few monthster¡­ The useless Ifrit had finally regained the power of the holy spirit. It took longer than a month, unlike what Ifrit had said, but Caville didn¡¯t bother to argue. Because the long-awaited moment had finallye. Caville took the lead and immediatelymanded the knights. He could no longer await the Imperial orders nor the Temple¡¯s orders. After devising a proper n, it was finally time to carry out the mission. But as Caville went outside of the barracks to catch a breath of fresh air, arge gate suddenly appeared before his eyes. There was a womaning out of the gate, and two Urta soldiers followed her from behind. ¡°Argh! Please no!¡± she sobbed. The gates were instantly closed. The Urta soldiers pointed their swords towards the woman. But Caville was faster. He drew out his sword at an rming rate and instantly killed the two soldiers. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Then, he aimed a sword at the woman. ¡°Who are you?¡± Caville asked. ¡°¡­¡­M-my name is Larissa Dayev, Princess of the Dayev Empire.¡± Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha Months before Ifrit regained his holy power¡­ Elody¡¯s days were very peaceful because she had finally developed a cure. ¡®I found the cure, so all that¡¯s left is¡­ ¡¯ It was time to start preparing for the divorce. Elody thought of Caville, who would fall in love with the princess. There was a silence to her soul. Her heart felt¡­ empty. ¡®Is this how mothers feel when their children marry¡­?¡¯ Elody sighed and looked through the newsletters. ¡°¡­What is this?¡± Elody looked into the newsletter with a serious expression. The news said that monsters had appeared in hordes near the south-east active volcano. It was quite far from the Duchy of Cernoir. ¡®The articles about monster attacks are gradually increasing¡­ ¡® Elody was deeply troubled by the articles. It was written that the knights would be dispatched soon, and there would be no casualties. However, it shouldn¡¯t be simply overlooked as the news about monster attacks had also increased. ¡®I need to pay close attention to articles like these¡­ .¡¯ Elody called the butler and instructed him to speak to Sir Therion. ¡°Please tell him to strengthen the security of the Forest of Death and ce more guards.¡± ¡°Yes, Madame. I will do it immediately,¡± Norman said while bowing his head. As Norman left, Elody continued to drink the herbal tea she made. ¡°Cough! cough!¡± Elody quickly pulled out a handkerchief and covered her mouth. Then, she immediately ran up the stairs and headed to her room. She was in a hurry because she didn¡¯t want the servants to misunderstand the situation. Vomiting blood was a serious medical emergency. This wasmon sense that even children knew. ¡®If I ever get caught, what kind of excuse shall I make?¡¯ She had worried about it for a long time, but she couldn¡¯te up with the right excuse. ¡®I am severely ill, so I have to vomit blood after drinking the remedy to my illness!¡¯ Who would believe her if she said such things? Elody washed her blood-soaked handkerchief by hand. It was annoying, but she couldn¡¯t help it. Come to think of it, she couldn¡¯t see the handkerchief from a while ago. She had washed all of her handkerchiefs, but one seemed to be missing. Unfortunately, Elody couldn¡¯t remember where she had put it. She was anxious, but soon dismissed the thought and forgot about itpletely. ¡®Oh well, it¡¯s no big deal.¡¯ However, contrary to Elody¡¯s hopes, all the servants of the mansion had already found out that she was constantly vomiting blood. This was how the ¡®handkerchief¡¯ incident took ce¡­ Sylvia, a young maid, was cleaning the Duchess¡¯ bedroom. Sylvia was a child from one of the orphanages in the Duchy, who had applied for the position of a maid of the mansion to repay Elody¡¯s kindness. Sylvia was thrilled to have finally met her benefactor. Elody, whom she¡¯d just met, was a gentle and caringdy. When she told Elody that she would swear allegiance for life, the Duchess even praised her for being cute. And that was how her life in the mansion began. There were times when work was difficult, but all of the servants treated her very kindly. At first, Sylvia was afraid of Marie, who became the new Head Maid after Julia retired. However, she turned out to be kind-hearted and friendly. She was only strict when she was working. Sylvia was very pleased with her new life in the mansion. However, there was something thatpletely surprised her. It was how the Duchess treated the maids like they were her own sisters, and of course, she was the closest to Marie. ¡®I want to be friends with the Duchess too¡­¡¯ She was very envious of them. Sylvia recalled one of her memories, where the Duchess stroked her head. Then, she imagined herself walking in the fields hand in hand with the Duchess. Sylvia giggled as her imagination ran wild again. ¡®Will she treat me like a sister?¡¯ However, Sylvia knew that shecked skills whenpared to the other maids. Furthermore, she repeatedly made mistakes every day. In order to get closer to the Duchess, Sylvia had to be a more capable maid. Thus, Sylvia acknowledged her shorings and tried even harder. The only thing she could do to show her gratitude was to work hard. Hard work will never betray you! That was her motto. But one day¡­ ¡®What is this?¡± While cleaning, Sylvia found something that had fallen under the Duchess¡¯ bed. Sylvia put her hand under the bed and pulled it out. ¡°What is¡­ Huh?! What the-?!¡± Sylvia was so shocked that she stumbled and fell to the floor. It was a bloody handkerchief. ¡°I¡­ what on earth is this?¡± Her thoughts were scattered for a moment; every part of her froze while her mind tried to catch up. ¡®Is it maybe¡­ that time of the month?¡¯ Sylvia calmed herself, then threw away the bloody handkerchief. The next day¡­ Silvia witnessed Elody vomiting blood. ¡®M-Madame is ill!¡¯ Her eyes shifted to Elody again and became zed with a glossyyer of tears. As she blinked, they dripped from her eyelids and slid down her cheeks. ¡®What to do, what to do¡­¡¯ She saw everything. That day, Sylvia was cleaning the garden, and nobody else was there except her. She wasn¡¯t really in charge of cleaning the garden, but she still did it because she wanted to improve herself. Hard work will never betray you! So Sylvia was keeping herself busy and doing her best to improve her skills as usual when suddenly, she saw Elody strolling inside the garden and then proceeding to sit on a bench. ¡°Mada-¡° But as Sylvia was about to approach her¡­ ¡°Cough! Cough!¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± Sylvia quickly hid behind a tree and witnessed the heartbreaking scene before her. She wouldn¡¯t have been so surprised if it was just a normal cough. However, as Elody took away the handkerchief from her mouth, Sylvia saw that it was dyed with blood. ¡®Madame¡­!¡¯ Sylvia almost screamed. She bit her lip tightly in an attempt to hide any sound that wanted to escape from her mouth; her heart sank. As soon as Elody stopped coughing, she hid her handkerchief inside her sleeve and went into the mansion. Sylvia couldn¡¯t stop her tears. ¡®Madame must have a deadly disease!¡¯ Sylvia cried and went to the other maids. ¡°Oh, Sylvia¡­ Why are you crying? Who scolded you?¡± Tessie asked. ¡°Did Marie hit you?¡± Anna probed as she wiped Sylvia¡¯s tears away. ¡°Big Sister Anna, is vomiting blood dangerous?¡± ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t that a sign of a deadly disease?¡± Anna replied. ¡°No, no, no¡­!¡± Sylvia cried. ¡°Huh? What do you mean by no¡­?¡± ¡°What are you saying? Spill it out, will you?¡± ¡°The Madame¡­ She¡¯s suffering from a serious illness!¡± ¡°What?¡± And that was how the rumor started. Sylvia¡¯s sightings quickly began to spread among the servants. ¡°¡­The madame is¡­? No, no¡­ Th-this can¡¯t be¡­¡± ¡°Oh, Marie!¡± Marie was so shocked by the news that she even passed out. ¡°What? The Madame?¡± Even Norman had heard about the news. The servants held secret meetings to talk about Elody¡¯s condition. Two years ago, Elody constantly studied herbs like she was obsessed. ¡°I guess it¡¯s been since then¡­¡± ¡°What should we do? Oh, the poor Duchess¡­¡± The maids cried at the fact that the sweet, youngdy was sick. Norman also wept. Marie cried to the point that her eyes were swollen. She didn¡¯t want Elody to see her, so she made excuses saying she was sick. ¡°She seemed so happy these days though¡­ I thought she was fine.¡± ¡°Is she really fine?¡± ¡°But Sylvia saw it just a few days ago.¡± ¡°Oh! What can we do? The madame¡­!¡± They were worried because vomiting blood usually represented something more serious and required immediate medical attention. Moreover, her symptoms had definitely worsened, her state didn¡¯t look like that of a recovering patient. ¡°Everybody listen. Do not give off any signs of suspicion to the Madame.¡± Norman ordered. The servants nodded while weeping tears. The Duke¡¯s mansion was engulfed in a gloomy atmosphere. Then, time passed¡­ and Elody still didn¡¯t know about the grave misunderstandings that sprouted in the mansion. * * * Caville red at the woman in front of him, giving her a suspicious look. The woman who had opened the mysterious gate introduced herself as Princess Larissa of the Dayev Empire. Caville was suspicious of her words. A gate suddenly appeared before his eyes, and what came from it were two Urta soldiers and this dubious woman. Caville was skeptical about the motives of the intruder. The knights took Larissa into the tent and Caville ordered the knights to interrogate her. * * * After hearing all the exnations from Larissa, Brien asked her with a serious look. ¡°How were you able to summon the gate?¡± Summoning a gate was rare ancient magic that existed only in legends. ¡°This artifact saved me¡­ This bracelet is a memento from my parents.¡± Larissa spoke. She showed Brien the thin bracelet she had in her hand, it was indeed an artifact filled with ancient power. Artifacts were artificially created by mages to contain simple magic. However, the older the artifacts, the more mysterious the ancient magic persists. However, artifacts were no longer useful once they had been used. ¡°Uh¡­ mother¡­¡± Larissa sobbed. The bracelets had been used and they no longer had any value. However, the treasure was still precious to her. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The knights looked at the weeping princess with sad eyes. She was trapped in prison for a long time, and her clothes had be shabby, but she was still utterly beautiful. TL Note: Hello guys, I have a few things I¡¯d like to say. Please do not read the spoilers of this novel! Stories can give you much more than what you expect, and I don¡¯t want the spoilers to ruin that. So once again, please do not write any more spoilers in thements because it takes away the anticipation and pleasure of the novel. That¡¯s all I wanted to say. I thank you all for reading and for giving us your support. See you in the ~ Chapter 28 Chapter 28 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha ¡°¡­¡­¡± It was undoubtedly the case that Caville was suspicious of the Princess and defiant of her interference. Inside the brooch on his chest, Ifrit whispered, ¡®You have a lot of doubts. Doesn¡¯t she look like a princess to you?¡¯ ¡®She seems suspicious.¡¯ ¡®Stop being so stubborn! She is not suspicious.¡¯ ¡®And how do you know that?¡¯ ¡®Why you¡­ Could you be careful with your words? I am the Spirit King! I can see when people lie or not. You dare make light of my words? I am an adult now!¡¯ ¡®Shut up, you¡¯re so noisy.¡¯ He forced Ifrit to shut up, giving the Princess another suspicious look. Princess Larissa nced at him, afraid of Caville¡¯s cold gaze. After the fall of the Empire of Dayev, she was taken by the Urta soldiers and imprisoned in the dungeon of her own pce. ¡°How do you feel about being trapped in the basement of the Imperial Pce where you lived your whole life? Is this your first time here?¡± ¡°By the way, you¡¯re very pretty, aren¡¯t ya? Hahaha! I¡¯m sure our emperor would love to¡­¡± They mocked andughed at Larissa. After bringing the war to victory, the Urta soldiers dered that they would dedicate the princess to their emperor. Princess Larissa was terrified. ¡°Take this.¡± Momentster, the servant of her aunt turned out to be hiding among the soldiers. He handed over a small dagger and a letter to Larissa. Her aunt was a traitor who betrayed the Empire of Dayev and swore allegiance to the Empire of Urta. She then tried to dedicate her niece, Princess Larissa, to the Emperor of Urta. However, her aunt also pitied her, so she sent her a dagger in case she couldn¡¯t take it anymore. Larissa cried as she read the letter of apology. ¡®Mother, father, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll follow you soon.¡¯ She aimed the dagger at her neck and tried to end her own life. But suddenly¡­ A beam of light shed from the thin bracelet she always wore. ¡®What¡¯s happening?¡¯ It was a gift from her mother, so she had thought it was just an old antique. But it was actually an ancient artifact that could only be triggered during emergencies. After the light faded away, she saw that the artifact had opened a mysterious gate. Unfortunately, the gate was so small that she couldn¡¯t pass through it. ¡°There, it was from there!¡± ¡°Hey! What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Then the gate got bigger and bigger, but the pace it was increasing at was too slow. Two soldiers who noticed the strange gate unlocked and entered her cell. At that moment, the gate was finallypleted. Larissa threw herself over it without any hesitation. The two soldiers seeded in following Larissa through the gate and tried to kill her. But Caville had chanced upon them. Larissa greeted Caville, saying she was grateful to him for saving her life. Unfortunately, Caville did not respond. ¡°You expect me to believe you?¡± ¡°¡­The Imperial Pce of Dayev is currently upied by the Urtans, but I remember the wholeyout of the Pce!¡± ¡°You say that, but do you have any proof?¡± Caville retorted. He was utterly handsome, but his gaze was very cold. However, she could see that it was filled with an endless depth of ink, sorrow, and pain. ¡°In two days, the Emperor of Urta will visit the Dayev Pce. He will definitelye!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°He came to take me himself. I was forced to dedicate myself to the emperor.¡± ¡°In two days¡­.¡± Caville mumbled. After pondering for a moment, he ordered Brien, ¡°Brien, you stay here. If there¡¯s no news in two days, you must kill this woman.¡± ¡°Is Your Grace not modifying the n?¡± ¡°How could you easily believe this woman and tell me to revise my n?¡± He glowered. ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Do you believe all her words? If she asks you to die, will you follow it as well?¡± Caville red at Brien. ¡°I wille back soon.¡± As nned, Caville crossed the canyons of the Catan Mountains with only a few of his knights. The next morning, all the Urtan soldiers who visited the Dayev Pce were all murdered. None of the Urtan soldiers, who were waiting in barracks outside the pce, noticed the massacre. And two dayster, as Larissa said, the Emperor of Urta arrived at the pce. Caville sat on the throne alone, waiting for the Emperor, Heikar II. And the moment he appeared, Caville cut Heikar and his knights without a moment¡¯s hesitation. ¡°Burn them all.¡± At Caville¡¯s order, Ifrit came out of the ancient artifact. The red wolf, who was now the size of arge house, soon spread itsrge wings and flew. As he soared, he left hot mes in his wake. Caville continued to lead the Knights and advanced to the capital of the Empire of Urta. Upon hearing the news, the Allied Forces and the Pdins quickly crossed the canyon. However, when they arrived, the Empire of Urta in the eastern continent had turned to ashes. And standing in the center was Caville Cernoir, along with his red wolf. ¡°Oh, dear Lord¡­¡± The priest who witnessed the scene stared at him in wonder. In their eyes, the appearance of Caville was like the incarnation of Tvekra, the God of War, himself. The war, which had been sluggish throughout the year because of the internal dispute, ended in a sea of ??fire. However, Handar¡¯s army still remained. Caville ordered Ifrit to track them down. * * * But not everything worked out so easily. Ifrit had failed to track Handar¡¯s retreating army. Caville clearly remembered the story of Ifrit. ¡°What? Are you looking down on me? You¡¯ll be surprised to know how sensitive my nose is. I can track everything even if they were at the ends of the earth!¡± He did, but now¡­ ¡°What can you actually do?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Handar, the retreating warlord of the Empire of Urta, and Zendikar, the son of the emperor. Ifrit had tracked them for days but to no avail. Caville red at Ifrit. ¡°I can only track those whose faces I remember¡­¡± ¡°¡­.Is that an excuse?¡± Ifrit replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry because I remember your wife¡¯s face. Oh, it was when she was young though, does she look different now?¡± ¡°Different?¡± Caville creased his eyebrows. ¡°Well, of course, she¡¯ll look different. You have changed too, right? Even so, you were pretty cute as a child.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville suddenly grew anxious. ¡®I¡¯m different from when I was young? I certainly changed. I got taller and my physical appearance changed too.¡¯ His face had many traces of his childhood, but he was no longer a timid child. He was now a hero who led the war to victory. ¡°¡­What if I¡¯m so ugly that my wife hates me?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s more likely to happen, seeing as how she hasn¡¯t sent you even a single letter.¡± Ifrit said, earning a re from Caville. Ifrit was afraid of being kicked, so he hurriedly hid into the artifact. * * * The emperor was greatly pleased to hear that Caville Cernoir made the Empire of Urta into a sea of ??fire. The Temple had also weed the news of the victory. A few days ago, priests and messengers of the emperor came to Caville¡¯s barracks, but Caville wasn¡¯t happy with them at all. ¡°Your Grace.¡± Caville heard Brien¡¯s voice outside the barracks and ordered him toe in. ¡°More priests are looking for Your Grace. What should I do with them?¡± ¡°Send them away.¡± ¡°¡­I understand. Oh, and Princess Larissa of the Dayev Empire painted a sketch of General Handar.¡± ¡°Really? Then I¡¯ll be able to find him soon.¡± ¡°Yes, the warlord will soon be caught. However, Prince Zendikar of the Empire of Urta seems to have fled toward the North Sea of ? Lavlensia, so it will be difficult to find him.¡± ¡°You take care of that. My role is to catch the warlord. Once I catch him, I¡¯ll go home right away.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Brien bowed and went out. Caville did not like the Temple and the Imperial Government. They fought over everything, and now they were pestering Caville. The temple spread a story about Caville. It was said that Caville used the power of the Spirit King of Fire, just like the first Duke of Cernoir. ¡°The Duke of Cernoir¡¯s faith was deep, thus the Tvekra God gave him strength.¡± ¡°Caville Cernoir is a child of God.¡± ¡°Caville Cernoir is the hero of the Great War of Thysser.¡± The rumors were outrageous. It was also said that Larissa¡¯s artifact used to belong to the Temple. The bracelet was one of the relics of the Temple in the past when it suddenly went missing. Princess Larissa decided to donate the bracelet, a memento of her parents, to the Temple. ¡°It would be safer to store it in the Temple. Please keep my parents¡¯ belongings.¡± The temple began to praise her as if they were moved by her words. ¡°They have chosen to side with the Princess who recovered the relic of the Temple.¡± ¡®The kind princess who had the power to open gates with her powerful artifact.¡¯ They twisted the truth. Still, Caville had no interest in them. Whether people praised the princess or not, all he cared about was to take down the enemy with the information he got. However, the temple didn¡¯t stop there. They began to pair the princess and Caville together. ¡°The Child of God and the Princess led the war to victory.¡± They kept spreading nonsense. There was also news that the princess was actually the emperor¡¯s niece amid the war. ¡®How much longer are they going to spout bullshit?¡¯ The Princess acted as if she had be a bridge that harmonized the Temple and the Imperial Government. It got to her head and she began to speak to Caville without any restraint. Caville was running out of patience. He wanted to throw everything away as soon as possible and return back to Elody. Fortunately, in two months, General Handar was caught and he was executed on the spot. With his death, the seven-year war had ended. ¡®It¡¯s finally over.¡¯ Finally. It was time to go home.
Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha Anna grabbed Elody¡¯s arm with a pained expression. ¡°Madame, you¡¯ve been eating less these days¡­ Please don¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°I just have no appetite, is all.¡± A year had passed, and Caville would now be 20 years old. Elody was disappointed that she couldn¡¯t directly congratte Caville, who had finally reached adulthood. Every year on her birthday, she felt like she died a little more. It was a reminder of Caville, whose birthday was only a few days apart from hers. When they were children, the servants of the mansion would hold a party for both the duke and the duchess, and the mansion would be infused in a lively atmosphere. However, Elody hadn¡¯t been able to celebrate Caville¡¯s birthday for years. ¡®A birthday party without Caville¡­¡¯ It could never be fun. Maybe that was why Elody had no appetite recently. But if it weren¡¯t for that reason¡­ ¡®Is it because of the divorce?¡¯ The preparations were finished sooner than she thought. The arrangements wereplete, but Elody had a lot of regrets. First, she had not finished producing fertilizers for the citizens yet. New crop seeds were also in development. ¡®I can just do it after I leave the mansion, but¡­.¡¯ During that time, she wouldn¡¯t have the time to deal with thend¡¯s management as she would be busy studying her incurable disease. Furthermore, after Caville returned and divorced her, she had no right to deal with the lord¡¯s affairs. ¡®There¡¯s still time, I can build a separateboratory for research¡­¡¯ She had made quite the fortune to build anotherboratory anyway. ¡®I have nothing else to prepare¡­¡¯ Elody was the only one to leave, so all she had to do was just vanish from Caville¡¯s life. As if she never existed. Just like the story¡­ Elody thought of asking Caville to let her stay in the mansion, or at least on the edge of the duchy. But she wasn¡¯t sure if Caville would allow it. Nheless, Elody had raised Caville with all of her heart, so she thought that he would at least allow it. ¡®Does he still remember me?¡¯ It had already been 7 years. Young children tend to forget their childhood memories. There was a high possibility that Caville might not even remember her face. Or worse, her entire existence. ¡®That¡¯s probably why I have never received a reply in 7 years¡­¡¯ ¡°Haa¡­¡± A sigh escaped Elody¡¯s lips as she cast her eyes to the ground, her mouth drawn in a frown. ¡°Madame¡­¡± Anna spoke as she watched Elody¡¯s gloomy countenance. ¡°Oh, that reminds me. I haven¡¯t seen Marie nowadays. She said she was sick. Is she okay? I sent her some medicine, but she still hasn¡¯te back¡­¡± she continued, ¡°I¡¯m worried¡­ I think I¡¯ll visit her myself.¡± Anna replied in a shaky voice, ¡°Ah! No, Madame! M-marie¡­ I mean¡­ Marie has been missing Sir Vedostely! That¡¯s why she¡¯s sad.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, is that true?¡± Elody felt the same. She also wanted to see Caville. ¡®I¡¯ll ask Marie to join me for a drink sometime.¡¯ Then, Elody headed for the greenhouse. Anna let out a sigh of relief, however, her eyes began to tear up as she stared at Elody¡¯s back. She truly felt sorry for the Duchess. * * * ¡°Hm, hmm¡­¡± Elody¡¯s gentle humming filled the greenhouse. It was her favorite ce. The fresh smell of grass always seeded in making her feel better. ¡°My wonderful Ginsengs¡­¡± Elody smiled as she watched the herb field. She reached her hand out to check the condition of the soil. Each of her fingertips radiated a warm green glow which was then imbued into the ground. ¡°Magnificent. The soil is in perfect condition.¡± Elody had been living in the greenhouse for several years now. She had been using her mana on the nts every day. Thus, her affinity in mana had increased tremendously. After all, magic was aboutbining multiple elements of nature. Elody would feel a refreshing energy circting throughout her body whenever she infused mana to the soil. Elody closed her eyes and felt the refreshing flow of mana. A whileter¡­ It was night time. As usual, Elodyid alone in herrge bed. As she was about to blow out the candles to sleep, someone knocked on the door. ¡°Madame, it¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Marie?¡± The door was opened, and Marie came to her line of sight. ¡°Oh, Marie!¡± Elody hadn¡¯t seen Marie for a few days, but when she looked at Marie, her face crumpled. Marie was like a hollow shell of her once plump and vibrant self. Her eyes were red and swollen, she seemed to be crying these past few days¡­ Marie slowly walked up to her bed. ¡°Madame, you¡¯re not sleeping?¡± ¡°No, not yet. What are you doing here at this hour? How did you get so thin¡­. Were you horribly ill? Did you take the medicine I sent?¡± Elody asked anxiously, caressing Marie¡¯s cheek. Marie smiled and nodded. Then she climbed into her bed and lied next to Elody. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I want to sleep with you. Like when madame was young¡­ do you remember?¡± ¡°Yes, I remember.¡± After Caville left for the battlefield, Elody became scared of sleeping alone, and so, she would sometimes call upon Marie to sleep with her. ¡°I guess you¡¯re not afraid of sleeping alone anymore,¡± Marie said. ¡°Even if I¡¯m scared, I¡¯ll have to bear with it. I¡¯m an adult now,¡± Elody replied. ¡°You¡¯re still like a child in my eyes¡­ How did you grow so big?¡± Elody giggled at Marie¡¯s remarks. Smiling, Marie hugged Elody and patted her back. Just like what Elody used to do to Caville. Elody breathed more slowly, her body melting into Marie¡¯s as every muscle lost its tension to the air. She felt safe and protected in her arms. ¡®Is this how Caville felt?¡¯ Elody snuggled in, ¡°Marie, you¡¯re like a real sister to me.¡± She could never let another close to her like this, but Marie was different. They were six years apart, but Marie was like a family to her. ¡°I also think of you as my little sister,¡± Marie smiled. ¡®If I had a real sister, would she have been like Marie?¡¯ Elody had never met her real family in any of her lives. But now, Elody knew. People can be a family even if they weren¡¯t connected by blood. Everyone in the mansion was her family. Although some were away¡­ Caville, Marie, Anna, as well as the maids, butlers, and knights. They were all her family. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°But Marie, why were you crying? You want to see Sir Vedos that much?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, I miss him so much.¡± Marie smiled, letting a tear slip down to her cheeks. Elody held her close, feeling the warmth in each others¡¯ embrace. ¡°Let¡¯s stop talking and sleep now, madame.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Elodyfortably closed her eyes. It was reassuring to have Marie by her side. Marie gazed at Elody and wiped her tears away. Elody was the duchess, the one she worked for, but now she was her treasured little sister. She was so precious, lovely, and kind. But she was suffering from an incurable disease¡­ ¡°¡­¡­¡± The pitiful duchess. Marie brushed a strand of pink hair away from her face and pulled her closer, tears started welling up in her eyes again. She stroked her hair and made a decision. She decided not to grieve anymore. She would not be sad again. Marie stared at Elody, who tried to hide her illness from the servants. She would show her cheerful side so that Elody could be happy as well. She nned to stay with Elody until the moment she died, and even hold the funeral herself. As Elody said, they were family. ¡®My precious duchess. How lonely and difficult it must be for you toe here alone at such a young age.¡¯ From today onwards, Marie vowed to never cry again. ¡®Today shall be thest.¡¯ That night, Marie¡¯s emotions were filled with grief, loss, and devastation. She couldn¡¯t stop her tears until she passed into the oblivion of unconsciousness. * * * ¡°Madame! Madame! Look at this!¡± Marie eximed, bursting through the office door. ¡°What is it?¡± Elody, who was talking with Norman, asked. ¡°The newsletter is here!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the news?¡± Marie handed over the newsletter to Elody. Elody was relieved as Marie¡¯s expression looked brighter than yesterday. ¡®But why does her eyes look more swollen than before¡­? Did she cry again?¡¯ Elody looked anxiously at Marie, then turned to the newsletter. The news said that the Duke of Cernoir had saved Larissa, the Princess of the Dayev Empire during the war. Elody frowned. ¡®They¡¯ve finally met¡­¡¯ There was also news that Caville used the Spirit King of Fire to lead the war to victory, and that the temple called him as the child of the Gods. ¡®Caville was chosen by God because of his strong faith¡­?¡¯ Caville¡­? He was highly religious? Elody had never known that. Confused, she tilted her head. Furthermore, the spirit of fire was never mentioned in the story. In the newsletter, there was also the phrase ¡®The child of God and the chosen princess led the war to victory.¡¯ It also said that the princess was the emperor¡¯s niece¡­ Elody recalled her memories. ¡®The emperor¡¯s niece? Was there such a setting in the original storyline?¡¯ The novel had never mentioned it. ¡®Or maybe I¡¯m just forgetting some things¡­¡¯ Lastly, the article said that the Imperial Army had captured and executed the high-ranking generals of the Urta Empire that ran away from the battlefield. s, the war had ended. ¡®The war is over? Really?¡¯ The war ended in seven years. Elody blinked in surprise. The story said that the warsted for 10 years. Those were one of the things that Elody remembered correctly. This could only mean that¡­ Caville would soon return to the estate. Simultaneously, it was time for Elody to leave the mansion.
Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha The servants¡¯ behavior was strangely different these days. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with everyone? Why did they look so¡­ lifeless?¡¯ The servants seemed to have no energy. Elody called Norman to ask what had happened to them. ¡°Norman, why does everyone look so down? Is there something that I don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Oh, n-no. Nothing has happened, Madame. Everyone is happy that His Grace ising back,¡± Norman stuttered. ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± Elodie nodded. Elody was depressed herself, so maybe that was why she thought the others looked gloomy as well. Caville would return, she should be the happiest amongst everyone else¡­ Yet, she was more anxious than ever. Elody sighed. 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. The newsletter came a few days ago, so Caville should be on the road before then. The distance between the war zone, the Catan Mountains, and the Duchy was vast. The road through the capital was the fastest, so it would take about three months. Until then, Elody decided to renovate the duke¡¯s mansion. She had already renovated the mansion before. However, more knights would return to the duchy. Thus, she had to spare more room for them. ¡°Madame, the renovation has beenpleted. I will check it on your behalf.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ll go see it myself,¡± Elodie said. Norman followed her anxiously, fearing that she would copse at any moment. ¡°It¡¯s spotless.¡± ¡°Yes, I instructed them to pay close attention to sanitation and hygiene.¡± ¡°I like it,¡± Elody said as she scanned the newly refurbished barracks. ¡°Oh, I almost forgot!¡± Elody added. ¡°Please rece the nkets and curtains in the guest room with new ones.¡± ¡°Understood, Madame.¡± 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. ¡°Madame! What brings you here to our humble abode?¡± ¡°I was checking the renovations.¡± Elody smiled, seeing his happy expression. ¡°Yes¡­ Ah! The apprentices are training, would you like to see them?¡± ¡°Shall I?¡± Therion¡¯s face brightened to Elody¡¯s positive response. On the other hand, Norman¡¯s expression quickly darkened. ¡°Ah, please don¡¯t, the madame¡­¡± ¡°Huh? Why not?¡± ¡°Oh no¡­ nevermind,¡± Norman replied with a false smile. Then, he followed Elodie and red at Therion. ¡®If she sees their brutal fights and copses¡­¡¯ Elody¡¯s illness was known only to the servants of the mansion. It was kept a secret from the knights. Norman cursed Therion in his head and followed the two from behind. * * * ¡°It¡¯s great to see them be so lively and well.¡± While watching the apprentices train, Elody had a pleasant conversation with Therion. ¡°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.¡± ¡°Yes, you must miss your brother a lot.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I couldn¡¯t join the army with him. I¡¯m ashamed,¡± Therion said as he scratched his head. ¡°You should not be ashamed! You¡¯ve done so well in leading the knights of the duchy.¡± ¡°Does Your Grace really think so?¡± ¡°Of course. The knights praised you a lot, and the apprentices respect you as well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Therion was one year younger than Elody. He was only 18 when the decree of the war was issued. Only one man from each family had to join the war, so Therion¡¯s older brother, William, went to the battlefield in his stead. Fortunately, Therion grew up to be an outstanding knight. His extraordinary skills granted him the position of amander. Now, no matter what anyone said, he was the Commander of the Knights who everyone loved and respected. Therion¡¯s ears turned red from all of her praises. ¡°Thank you, Your Grace,¡± after a slight pause, Therion continued. ¡°The Duke must be all grown up now.¡± ¡°I guess so¡­¡± As he brought up Caville, Elody began to feel depressed again. ¡°Haa¡­¡± Elody sighed. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I have to go now. Thank you for your time, Sir Therion.¡± ¡°Ah! I can escort you to the mansion¡­¡± ¡°Oh, there¡¯s no need, really.¡± Elody refused his offer and returned to the mansion with Norman. Therion was left alone in bewilderment. ¡®Could it be¡­.¡¯ The Duchess immediately sighed when he brought up the Duke. He wondered what it could possibly mean. * * * Elody was stuck in her office, organizing documents all day without a single break. ¡®Is the madame nning to go on a trip?¡¯ Petria thought, curious. Elody seemed tired, so Petria didn¡¯t have the guts to ask her directly. Once they finished organizing the documents, Petria immediately asked Norman, ¡°Mr. Norman, is the madame going on a trip?¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t she? Huh¡­ I guess I was mistaken.¡± Petria replied. ¡°No, wait. Please tell me in detail.¡± ¡°Well, you see¡­.¡± Norman¡¯s face turned blue after hearing her story. ¡®The Duchess has been acting like someone who will be leaving soon¡­. Wait, does that mean that there¡¯s not much time left?!¡¯ Norman hastily ran to the maids¡¯ room to find Marie. * * * ¡°Your Grace won¡¯t stop by the capital? Why?¡± Caville summoned the Commander of the Cernoir Knights. Behind Brien Vedos, the vicemander, were two elite knights. One was Ren¡¯s lover, Sr, and the other was a knight named Heinz. Ren, who was next to Caville, nced at Heinz¡¯s abrupt question. It¡¯s not necessary, but Ren was Caville¡¯s escort. ¡°There is no reason to stop by the capital.¡± Heinz raised his eyebrow. ¡°But isn¡¯t it an opportunity to impress the emperor? Your Grace saved the princess too¡­¡± ¡°Why do I need to impress the emperor? Every time I see his face, my urge to kill him deepens.¡± ¡°¡­A-alright,¡± Heinz replied, sulking. Currently, the forces of the Cernoir Knights were divided into two branches. 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. Caville met Heinz and his mercenaries on the battlefield. They swore allegiance after he saved their lives. Caville also granted them the honorary knighthood. Then, he chose Heinz as their leader, therefore promoting him to an elite knight. Until now, they were close and never had any quarrels. But after the war ended, they began to have conflicts. ¡®To think he¡¯d refuse to stop by the capital.¡¯ After the meeting, Heinz left the barracks with a dissatisfied expression. The mercenaries had no hometown to return to, so of course, they nned to go to the Duchy of Cernoir with Caville. The Cernoir Knights were the ones to take the lead on the war. ¡®The Emperor promised to reward us, but he refused it¡­ What better things could be waiting for him in the duchy?¡¯ He was dissatisfied. Still, he had no choice but to follow Caville¡¯s orders. They were not the original members of the Knights of Cernoir, but their loyalty was absolute. Heinz admired Caville to the point that he¡¯d be worth sacrificing for. He wanted to see Caville, who was ridiculed for being young, directly praised by the Emperor, pping the other nobles¡¯ faces¡­. It was unfortunate. * * * The Knights of Cernoir had amon concern. It was Caville¡¯s cold and blunt demeanor. Sometimes, he would seem like a person who had no emotion. The only time he expressed himself was when heined about the Emperor or the Temple. He used to be a small child who worked hard and trained every day. And now, he was a hero who saved the Empire, just like the first duke. Caville was a well-rounded leader that all the knights were proud of. They sincerely wished for his happiness. They thought it would be nice for him to experience love, feeling various emotions. And Heinz thought that Caville was fated to be with the princess. Furthermore, the princess turned out to be the emperor¡¯s niece. If he led the war to victory and married the emperor¡¯s niece, there would be nothing else for him to desire¡­ ¡®The princess also seems interested in the duke¡­¡¯ She often visited Caville. There were even times where he saw her acting all coy and shy. ¡®What could be better than marrying a beautiful woman with a high background?¡¯ Heinz thought. But there was a problem, Caville already had a wife. ¡®I¡¯m sure she¡¯s spending all her husband¡¯s money alone¡­¡¯ She would pretend to care about him once hees back to the mansion. Just thinking about it left a bitter taste in his mouth. Heinz spat on the floor with a dissatisfied look. * * * ¡°Then, are we leaving right away?¡± ¡°I want to finish preparing before the sun rises.¡± ¡°Yes, I feel the same way.¡± Sr chuckled. The knights who left the estate had always missed their hometown. But Caville was the most homesick among them. He would like to fly on ifrit¡¯s back if he could. However, Ifrit was tired because he had used too much power. He said he was going to rest inside the artifact. ¡®How irritating¡­.¡¯ Caville was annoyed by Ifrit, who was eating away his mana without even trying to help him when he needed it. 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. ¡°Princess Larissa must be sad. She thought we were going to the capital together¡­.¡± Caville red at Brien and stayed silent. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ren and Sr saw Caville¡¯s response and nudged Brien. Brien shrugged his shoulders. He was one of those people who wanted Caville to be happy and to experience love. A man should marry a woman who¡¯s kind-hearted, beautiful, and loved. And just like Heinz, Brien thought that his destined lover should be none other than Princess Larissa.
Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha ¡®I feel bad for the duchess, but¡­¡¯ They were more like siblings than a real couple. Whoever his partner was, Brien hoped that Caville would actually fall in love with them, for love was magical. He would tend to think about them and worry about them, get excited for them, or sad for them, and feel like he had someone important in his life. Brien wanted him to experience that kind of love. One that could enable him to feel nurtured and secure. However, the current Caville was precarious. He could only retain hisposure when he was sword fighting. After being on the battlefield for too long, some people started portraying an unusual behaviour. They could only rx when they saw blood. Furthermore, some of them eventually ran wild and murdered everyone around them. Brien was afraid that the same thing could happen to Caville. However, unlike what people thought of him, Caville was downright happy. ¡®Does my wife miss me?¡¯ He was nning to leave for the territory at dawn. Caville was already dressed up and ready to go. He was so excited that he couldn¡¯t sleep. ¡®Should I just leave alone?¡¯ Caville was conflicted. He missed Elody, but he wanted to go back with the knights so that he could show them his good side. Caville stared at himself in the small mirror. There wasn¡¯t a single scar on his face since he tried so hard to protect it. ¡®My wife must¡¯ve changed a lot too, right?¡¯ Suddenly, a sound could be heard from the artifact. ¡®Don¡¯t be so noisy. You¡¯re disturbing my sleep.¡¯ Annoyed, Caville removed the brooch from his chest. Ifrit was able to read his thoughts when Caville wore it. ¡°Why do you keep looking at the mirror?¡± A haze of red smoke appeared as Ifrit emerged from the brooch. ¡°Why not?¡± Caville asked ring daggers. ¡°Well, that¡¯s just so unlike you. But as opposed to you, I can control my appearance since I am now an adult,¡± Ifrit grinned. ¡°Go back. I hate seeing you.¡± Ifrit snorted at Caville¡¯s criticism. ¡°How could you say that after seeing a cute animal such as I? You heartless human.¡± Ifrit sulked and went back into the artifact. Caville didn¡¯t have a care for anything else in the world. He just wanted to get to the mansion as soon as possible. He also refused to have an audience with the emperor. He had already fulfilled his duty, so he had no need to visit the capital. Plus, nobody would me him. Though, his actions did cause the emperor to be in a bad mood. ¡®Is he looking down on me because he contributed a lot in the war?¡¯ the emperor thought. Caville disobeyed his orders, and this was not a good look for the emperor. However, he couldn¡¯t rebuke him since Caville had saved his niece. Thanks to Princess Larissa, the conflict between the Imperial Army and the Temple was slowly dispersed. At first, he was satisfied with Larissa being the mediator, but he still needed to keep the Temple in check. Caville was supposed to fill in that role. However, the emperor made a grave miscalction. He certainly did not expect Caville to return to his duchy so soon. * * * Upon hearing about Caville¡¯s arrival, Elody got very busy. She made up her mind. If Caville had a hard time divorcing her, she should be the one to tell him first. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, Caville! I¡¯m ready to divorce you!¡¯ ¡°Madame, the lord and his knights have passed through the south gate!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Elody lifted herself with a tense look. She was nervous because her dress was more colorful than usual. She met with the servants and went to the entrance of the mansion. From a distance, she saw Caville approaching while riding his ck horse. ¡®Is that¡­ Caville?¡¯ ¡­How did he grow so big? Seconds passed with her brain struggling to just take him in, struggling toprehend that he wasn¡¯t the boy she used to remember, that he was a man and he was real. The ck horse came to a stop, stealing Elody¡¯s breath and heat from her skin. Caville jumped off the horse and walked straight towards Elody. Elody doubted her eyes. However, he had the same pink eyes and pale skin. He was still slender despite his years, yet, his body was toned and well-built. It was him. ¡®Caville will turn 20 this year¡­¡¯ Elody thought that Caville would grow into a beautiful boy. However, Caville was far different from her imagination. His prominent jaw curved gracefully around his neck, and he had twining cords of muscle that shaped his entire body; strong arms, bold thighs and calves, a firm chest, and abdomen. He was undoubtedly attractive and captivating. ¡®Wh-what kinds of food did he eat¡­ I expected him to grow a lot, but¡­.¡¯ He could barely reach her chest seven years ago. But now¡­ Elody greeted him awkwardly, ¡°C-Caville¡­? Is that really you? G-good to see-¡° ¡°My wife.¡± Not giving time for her to say hello, he immediately scooped her up into a tight hug, and before she could draw in the air her body needed, she had melted into his form. Elody could feel his firm torso and the heart that beat within. His hands were folded around her back, drawing her closer. Unlike Elody, Caville was able to recognize her at first nce. As soon as he saw her pink hair, he could feel his body shake as he instantly pulled her into an embrace. Caville buried his head in the cuff of her shoulder. He had missed her scent for the longest time. Her sweet, warm, and gentle scent. ¡°Hey¡­ Caville?¡± Elody was embarrassed. She didn¡¯t know what to do. The servants stared at the two¡¯s intense reunion. They were so touched that some of the maids started crying. ¡®Oh, our poor madame. What should we do¡­ They finally met¡­ They¡¯ve just met but she¡­¡¯ Of course, they weren¡¯t just crying because of the touching reunion. There was also a profound misunderstanding held within those tears. ¡°Is that the duchess? I guess she has a good rtionship with the duke?¡± Heinz asked, surprised by their intimacy. ¡°Yup. They grew up together you see. The duchess raised the duke since he was very young.¡± ¡°But why didn¡¯t she write even a single letter?¡± ¡°Heinz, I will warn you ahead of time. You should never do anything disrespectful to the duchess. You¡¯re an elite knight.¡± ¡°Pfft, what do you mean duchess. It might change soon,¡± Heinz scoffed. ¡°Why you¡­.¡± ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Heinz replied in a stern tone. Heinz would not change his mind. He was told that the emperor wanted Caville to marry his niece, Princess Larissa. Heinz was d about the news. The duke could finally marry a princess who was loyal and loved by all. Caville truly deserved it. He was already married, but he could easily divorce her. Everything was possible as long as one had the intention to do it. Heinz red at the duchess in disapproval. ¡°Sir Vedos!¡± ¡°Marie¡­!¡± The two lovers who had been separated for a long time had a joyful reunion. Marie shed tears of sadness in Brien¡¯s arms. ¡°Caville¡­ I¡¯m sorry, can you let go of me now?¡± At Elody¡¯s earnest voice, Caville released her from his hold. Elody smiled awkwardly and spoke, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time. You must¡¯ve gone through a lot.¡± ¡°Wife¡­¡± Caville bit his lips. He had longed for this moment each and every day. Just like how he had changed a lot, did she change too? Or was she still the same as back then? Caville finally saw the person he had missed, but he couldn¡¯t think of anything. He just wanted to cry in her arms, crying for the missed time they could never take back, crying to release the tension of these seven long years. However, Elody didn¡¯t seem as thrilled as he did. When Caville released her from his arms, Elody took a step back. ¡°My Lord Duke, wee back.¡± ¡°Thank you foring back safely!¡± The servants greeted Caville and Norman bawled his tears out. ¡°Your Grace¡­ I can die peacefully now.¡± At the end of their emotional reunion, Elody smiled and told Norman. ¡°Norman, please guide the knights to their new lodgings.¡± ¡°Understood, Madame!¡± Elody skillfully instructed the servants, looking at those who shared the joy of the reunion. ¡°Let¡¯s bring everyone back to their homes and give them what we¡¯ve prepared. Tell them about the banquet that will be held in a few days.¡± ¡°Alright, Madame.¡± Then, Elody nced at Caville, who had a frown in his face. ¡°Come on, Caville. Let¡¯s go back. You must be very tired. Go to your room and rest.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± As Elody reached out to him, Caville grabbed her hand. ¡°¡­How did your hands get so small?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡®My hand didn¡¯t get smaller. It was your hand that got bigger.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s too small.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville was dumbfounded with the size of Elody¡¯s palm. He remembered her looking so strong with her big hands. Like he wouldn¡¯t be afraid of anything in the world as long as he had her hand alone. But, when he came back, Elody¡¯s hands were smaller than he remembered. ¡®Were those hands that held me tightly always this small? Or was it even smaller than this? How can this be?¡¯ Caville stared at Elody¡¯s pale and pretty hands. And Elody¡­ ¡®He must¡¯ve had a hard time¡­¡¯ As she looked at Caville¡¯s scarred hands and calloused fingers, she held back her tears. It was painful to remember how hard he had worked during that miserable time. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go in, Caville.¡± Truthfully, Elody longed for this reunion as much as he did. She was desperately holding back her tears, and she could break down at any moment. Elody had lots to say too¡­ ¡®Wee back, my baby! Wee back! I¡¯ve missed you so much¡­¡¯ She wanted to hug him just as much as he wanted. But she can¡¯t. Her baby had grown into a man. When Elody saw Caville, she could feel her heart pounded. It beat so strongly that she thought her chest would burst. Elody was afraid that she would misunderstand the meaning of her throbbing heart. ¡®I mustn¡¯t forget.¡¯ She shouldn¡¯t forget her role in the storyline.
Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha Elody realized that she would be leaving the mansion soon. There was no time for her to rejoice. She climbed the stairs and headed to the bedroom where she and Caville had been staying since their childhood. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare warm water right away. You can take a bath and rest afterward.¡± ¡°Are you going to wash me?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Her heart pounded at his unexpected words. Elody looked like someone who had received a p on their face. Caville boldly continued, ¡°Wife said that married couples could take baths together. When I was a kid.¡± ¡°Uh¡­.¡± Elody flushed red. ¡®Uh, he¡¯s right. I did say that¡­¡¯ she thought helplessly. Yes, it was true back then¡­ However, the current Caville wasn¡¯t a child anymore. Moreover, Elody felt unfamiliar with him because of his drastic change in appearance. Of course, he was still the same Caville she used to wash when he was a child¡­ ¡°I¡¯m just joking. I¡¯m embarrassed now after seeing your reaction.¡± Caville muttered, his ears turning red. Elody nced at Caville. He had traces of his face as a child, but his features were far sharper now. ¡°I-is the room still the same?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody turned her head away. ¡°I didn¡¯t renovate it on purpose. I wanted to keep it the way you remembered it.¡± ¡°The mansion has changed a lot. Good work.¡± At Caville¡¯s words, Elody smiled proudly. She used all her efforts to protect Caville¡¯s territory. ¡°Wife.¡± Caville stepped closer and held her in his arms again. ¡°Oh, uh¡­¡± Elody panicked and stepped back. Caville pulled her closer and buried his head on her little shoulder. ¡°I missed you.¡± ¡°¡­Uh, me too.¡± Elody reached out and patted Caville¡¯s back. She couldn¡¯t hug his broad shoulders with one arm anymore, and his back was now full of scars. ¡®It feels weird.¡¯ But this atmosphere was a bit¡­ ¡®Am I the only one feeling strange¡­?¡¯ Elody¡¯s hand clenched as her fingertips trembled. Caville hugged her often when he was young. That was probably why he could hug her without hesitation¡­ But now she was hugging the huge Caville in their bedroom. Elody¡¯s blush seared through her cheeks, and for a minute, she thought her face was on fire. She suddenly felt awkward and demure. Thump thump thump. Her heart was pounding like a cksmith¡¯s hammer in her chest. Eventually, Elody couldn¡¯t stand it and pushed Caville away. ¡°I-I-I¡¯ll tell the maids to prepare the water!¡± Elody stuttered as she left the room. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville, who was left alone in the room, covered his face with both hands. ¡®Strange¡­¡¯ ¡®What¡¯s strange?¡¯ Ifrit, unable to grasp the situation, spoke. ¡®¡­I guess my wife isn¡¯t happy with my return.¡¯ Usually, Caville wouldn¡¯t answer Ifrit¡¯s questions, but now he actually responded that too gently. Ifrit chuckled at his grim words. Annoyed, Caville took off his brooch and put it on the desk. Then, he slowly scanned his surroundings. The bed that used to be so spacious and big, now looked very small. The old-fashioned wallpaper was still the same, and the firece was also there. Elody used to do shadow ys in front of that firece. Caville¡¯s chest felt tight. He was happy and sad at the same time. It was hard to believe that the ce where he was standing was not in the middle of the battlefield, but the home he had missed. ¡°Hey, are you crying?¡± Caville was staring at the firece in tears, and Ifrit, who hade out of the artifact in the form of a dog, made fun of him. ¡°I¡¯m warning you. Don¡¯t ever show up without my permission for a while.¡± ¡°Meh.¡± Despite the harsh warnings, ifrit did not care. He walked to the window, pushed the ss with his head, and jumped out. Then, after a while, someone knocked on the door. ¡°Caville, the water is ready. You can take a bath now,¡± Elody said with an awkward smile. Caville nodded in response. Even though Elody, who he had dreamed of every day, was in front of his eyes. He still felt empty as if there was a hole in his heart. It felt strange. * * * Caville sifted himself in the bathtub full of warm water and pondered about his recent events. His wife didn¡¯t greet him with a warm wee. It was what Caville was afraid of throughout the war. After hearing the knights¡¯ gossip. He wondered if Elody had died, or maybe she had another lover and ran away. But Elody was waiting for him as she had promised. Nevertheless, he was still anxious. ¡®Is she not happy about my return?¡¯ Caville even dipped his face into the water with a sullen look. He was very upset. * * * Dinner was awkward. Elody and Caville were stealing nces at each other. Elody ordered the servants of the mansion and took measures so that the knights who returned could rest and eat well. She also told the knights to prepare plenty of liquor so that they could alleviate their negative feelings. When she was managing the duchy, she had prepared lots of things to say to Caville¡­ But she didn¡¯t know how to treat him now. She wanted to take care of him like she did when she was young, but¡­ ¡®What is with this atmosphere¡­ ¡® Things were very awkward. Perhaps it¡¯s because of his expressionless face, straight nose, and stern eyes. It wasn¡¯t as cute and adorable as when he was young. There was a dangerous vibe around him now. It was difficult to talk to him with the way he looked currently. After the awkward meal was over, Elody modestly drank her tea. ¡°We-were you tired? I hope there weren¡¯t any troubles¡­ I heard you contributed a lot to the war.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°I-I am proud of you, Caville.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville looked straight into her eyes. Elody was surprised at how earnest his gaze felt. She was scared for some reason¡­ ¡°Oh, let¡¯s go up and rest.¡± Caville nodded and followed Elody to their bedroom. But once they arrived, Elody stopped. Confused, Caville turned to look at her. ¡°Uh, take a good rest. I¡­ uh, I¡¯ll sleep in the next room¡­¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Elody faltered. ¡°Married couples are supposed to sleep together.¡± Caville stared at Elody. His tant gaze seemed to pierce right through her words. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°My wife was the one who taught me that.¡± * * * Ever since they had dinner a little while ago, Caville was in a bad mood. ¡®Did she get another lover while I was away?¡¯ It was very likely. When he left, Elody was 19 years old. His wife was gorgeous back then, and even now, she was beautiful enough to make everyone¡¯s eyes pop out. At that time, he could not feel the emotions he did right now because he was too young. If one were a man, or at least a human with keen eyes, one could not help but fall in love with her beauty. Caville¡¯s mood sank faster than the titanic. ¡®Does she really have another lover? But we¡¯re already a married couple¡­¡¯ They were a real married couple. After dinner, the two also drank tea together. However, unlike what he had hoped, they did not have a friendly conversation. Caville had already predicted it when they climbed the stairs to their bedroom together. Maybe even before that. ¡°Oh, take a good rest. I¡¯ll¡­ uh, sleep in the next room¡­.¡± He knew this would happen. She didn¡¯t want to be with him. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Married couples are supposed to sleep together.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°My wife was the one who taught me that.¡± ¡®You taught me that way.¡¯ Caville stared at Elody with unjust eyes. ¡°Yes¡­ but. Actually, I¡­¡± ¡°Wife¡­¡± Caville desperately tried to stop his tears froming out. He hoped that it wasn¡¯t true, but his prediction seemed to be right. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re happy to see me at all.¡± Elody was ck-jawed in shock. She was puzzled by his murky voice. ¡°Ca-Caville. What are you saying¡­ Of course not! You know much I¡¯ve longed for you.¡± ¡°Well, you don¡¯t look happy at all.¡± ¡°No! I am happy¡­!¡± Elody trembled, flustered by his remarks. Caville gazed at their bedroom as if he wanted them to go in together. Elody unwittingly followed Caville into the room, not knowing what was inside his head. As soon as they entered the room, Caville replied bluntly, ¡°My wife hates me.¡± ¡°Caville¡­¡± Elody had never imagined that he would think that way. It felt like her heart would sink to the floor. She felt horrible for hurting him, who had suffered for seven years in the war. She wanted to think of an excuse, but Caville didn¡¯t give her any time. ¡°I think I know why.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Caville sat on a soft sofa in front of the firece. Elody sat next to Caville, fidgeting her fingers anxiously. ¡°Caville¡­¡± She was about to put her hand on his forearm tofort him but retreated in an instant. His shoulder¡­ was too hard. She was unfamiliar with his new figure. Seeing Elody¡¯s actions, Caville stared at her with a hurt expression. ¡®No, it¡¯s not like that¡­¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m not as cute as before.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Because I look like an adult¡­ so my wife hates me now. And I¡¯m not happy with it.¡± Elody was confused by his unexpected words. She blinked her eyes in shock.
Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha Caville¡¯s shoulders slumped and he cast his gaze down mournfully. He didn¡¯t just look like an adult, he was an adult. He was a full-fledged adult now that he was of age. Elody wanted to point it out, but she held herself back. Her priority was to solve all the misunderstandings first. ¡°Caville, it¡¯s not like that. It¡¯s just¡­ We met after 7 years. Caville. You were really young back then¡­ Now you¡¯re all grown-up, just like you said.¡± Elody tried to choose the nicest words possible to not hurt his feelings. ¡°It¡¯s true that I feel a little awkward because you¡¯ve be an adult. But that doesn¡¯t mean I hate you at all. You¡¯re my precious¡­¡± ¡®Precious¡­ Brother? Baby?¡¯ Elody stopped, Caville stared at her directly. ¡°My precious¡­ My¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t hear you.¡± ¡°My most precious person! So you shouldn¡¯t think like that. Yeah?¡± ¡°¡­I also feel strange. I am sure I stayed the same, but I think only my wife has changed.¡± ¡®What the¡­ that¡¯s nonsense¡­¡¯ Elody stared at Caville with a stern look on her face. ¡°I thought I could get along with my wife like I used to, but I guess I was the only one who thought of that.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°My wife¡¯s heart has changed. I¡¯m not as good as before. I haven¡¯t changed. I¡¯m still the same.¡± Caville kept insisting that he was still the same. It was absurd. First of all, Caville didn¡¯t used to be as big as he was now. Secondly, the young Caville couldn¡¯t strike his sword at the enemy without hesitation as he could now. But Caville wanted Elody to treat him just like when he was young. Caville had imagined their reunion numerous times¡­ Upon his arrival, Elody would immediately run towards him, throwing herself into his arms. And as the warmth of her body meets his cold skin, she would whisper sweet nothings into his ears. Telling him how pretty he was, praising him while stroking his head, giving him sweet kisses, and saying how much she loved him. Her loving eyes, her warm embrace, and her angelic voice that he had missed. But the reality was never sweet. Elody avoided him¡­ ¡°Caville, it¡¯s not like that. I¡­ wouldn¡¯t I need time to adjust myself? I still care about you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You have no idea how much I¡¯ve missed you¡­¡± Elody¡¯s eyes glimmered with watery tears. Brick by brick, her walls came tumbling down, and as the tears streamed down from her eyes, Caville¡¯s felt a pang of pain in his chest. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, wife,¡± Caville said as he wiped the tears on her face. Elody smiled at his friendly words. ¡°I really missed you, Caville. I¡¯m truly d you came back.¡± Caville stared into Elody¡¯s eyes as she smiled with tears. Her pretty eyes, cute nose, and delicate¡­ his gaze went down to her lips. So¡­ Beautiful. Caville turned his head to the side and hid his face within his palms. His blush crept to his ears and for a minute, he thought his face was on fire. Looking at his actions, Elody called out to him. ¡°Caville,e here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody grabbed his arm and led him to the other side of the room, his face was still burning. The ce she headed for was a wall that held lots of memories for them. The marks they scribbled and recorded together were still the same. Although the traces were fading. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville went silent. He fumbled the traces with his hands and captured everything in his eyes. Even after Caville left, Elody continued to measure her height alone. However, Elody¡¯s height remained the same. Elody hadn¡¯t recorded her height since four years ago. Her growth had stopped at 19. Caville smiled and touched thest mark she recorded. There was a strange feeling in his heart. ¡®Even after I left, my wife¡¯s height remained the same.¡¯ At that time, his wife looked really big and strong¡­ Elody¡¯s height was the same, but Caville¡¯s view of her had changed. During those times apart from each other, Elody recorded several more years, even though she didn¡¯t grow at all. Caville gazed at the traces on the wall. His eyes were full of affection and sadness. He could see that his wife kept measuring her height alone, without removing his marks. ¡°Thest time you recorded your height, I was this tall,¡± Caville said, pointing to the wall. Thest time Elody had recorded her was when she was 22, so Caville would have been 16. Elody picked up a pen and left a mark where Caville had pointed. She wrote ¡®Year 589, 16-year-old Caville¡¯. ¡°After that?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s keep recording. You might still get taller!¡± Elody eximed. And so, Caville stood against the wall. But there was a problem. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody confidently stretched out her arms as high as she could. But¡­ ¡®Uh-oh¡­¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Caville took the pen from Elody, measured his height, and recorded on the wall. Elody watched him with an awkward smile. ¡°Why didn¡¯t my wife grow taller?¡± Caville asked innocently, looking at Elody¡¯s marks that stayed the same. ¡°¡­Uh, well¡­¡± Elody didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡®Is it because I sleptte and didn¡¯t have a regr eating schedule¡­?¡¯ Elody recalled what the maids said as a joke. ¡°Well¡­ some people stop growing early.¡± That was the best excuse she coulde up with. Caville alternated his nces between the traces on the wall and Elody. ¡°So¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°So cute.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ ¡± Elodyughed awkwardly. She never thought she would hear that from Caville¡­ from the child that she had raised¡­ ¡°You too, well, you¡¯re not that big.¡± Cavilleughed at Elody¡¯s counterattack. He was well over 190 centimeters tall and was taller than the average male knight. Cavilleughed and gazed at Elody with subtle eyes. ¡°Is my wife really happy that I am back?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I¡¯m as happy as you are.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± After a while, Elody and Caville were lying side by side on the bed they had been sleeping together since they were children. ¡®How did this happen¡­?¡¯ She was definitely thinking of sleeping in the next room. She even organized everything. A while ago¡­ Caville spoke, ¡°Then¡­ Please put me to sleep, like when we were children.¡± ¡°Wh-what? You see, Caville. I think it would be better for me to sleep in the next room¡­ ¡° ¡°Just for today. Please?¡± Caville begged. Elody couldn¡¯t say no to his sad expression. Hence, she decided to sleep with him. Sheid on his side and looked at Caville, who was well asleep. When she gazed into his sleeping figure, she noticed that his face was still simr to when he was young. He was still as pretty as an angel, and his skin was smooth even though he had been on the battlefield for years. ¡®Yes, just for today¡­¡¯ Elody gently stroked his arm as a luby emerged from her lips. To put him to bed like when he was young, hugging and patting him¡­ she couldn¡¯t do that. Fortunately, Caville wasn¡¯t that stubborn/pesky. Elody remembered their past as she looked at Caville sleeping so peacefully. There were many things she wanted to ask, but she didn¡¯t want to bombard him with questions right after he hade back from such a dreadful ce. She wanted him to rest and take his mind off things. Elody decided to hold back on the questions for a while. Not long after, she also fell into a deep slumber. And so, the night of their reunion passed. * * * The next morning, Caville woke up at dawn. It was a habit he had picked up on the battlefield. ¡®What shall I do.¡¯ As soon as he opened his eyes, he was relieved to find himself in his mansion again. His one, true home. When he saw Elody next to him, his heart pounded. Caville lightly caressed her face with his fingers. So¡­ So happy. Happiness flowed through him, warming his skin like the rays of an early summer sun¡­ He was as happy as he could be. But¡­ He was a bit troubled at the moment. Elody¡¯s hand was on his chest. He was wearing clothes, but the area she was touching felt hot. As Caville slowly extended his arms to keep Elody from awakening, he stroked her back. He could easily hug the little girl with one arm and felt the urge to hug her tightly with all his strength. However, Caville held back and slowly got up. Heid Elody upright and gently covered her with a nket. ¡®Cute.¡¯ So cute, so lovely. Why? Why was she so cute? Why was she so beautiful? How was he able to live with a wife like this? He might never know. Truthfully, he might have known. However, the point was that she looked so cute that he was gonna die from a heart attack. ¡®No, wait! I won¡¯t be able to see her anymore if I died.¡¯ Caville gazed at Elody¡¯s sleeping face for the millionth time. He had shown his foolish side to his wife before, and he didn¡¯t want to do it again. So, Caville quietly left the room and headed for the bathroom. He looked in the mirror after washing his face. He wanted to look as pretty as possible and impress his wife. By the time he came back to the bedroom after checking his face, an uninvited guest had appeared. ¡°Where have you been?¡± Ifrit, in the form of a small dog,id on the edge of the bed, whilst casually wagging his tail. Caville¡¯s brow was immediately creased. ¡°Didn¡¯t you leave?¡± Caville said. ¡°What? I just came to see my lifesaver¡¯s face. I didn¡¯te here to see you.¡± ¡°Get out,¡± he snarled. Caville¡¯s ugly nces made Ifrit depressed. He slipped down the bed and quietly whined. ¡°You think I, the Spirit King of Fire, will listen to you? I¡¯m not doing this because I¡¯m scared. I wanted to go down in the first ce!¡± Caville opened the door slightly and kicked out the grunting Ifrit. Then, he gently went back to bed. ¡®¡­¡­¡¯ Caville smiled shyly and stared at Elody¡¯s sleeping face. And by the time Elody had woken up, Caville closed his eyes and pretended to sleep. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody was surprised to see Caville still sleeping. She was embarrassed to admit, but she really did have a goodnight¡¯s sleep. After hearing the news that the war was over, she had trouble sleeping, but now she seemed to have been relieved of the tension. ¡®I¡¯m d.¡¯ Elody was relieved to see that she woke up far away from Caville. Then, she kept staring at Caville¡¯s sleeping face. ¡®How can he be so angelic in the morning when he sleeps?¡¯ Caville was sleeping with an elegant pose, like a sleeping princess. His hair wasn¡¯t messy and his skin was smooth. After all, he was the male protagonist.
TL/N: Good news everyone! I have finally found time to bnce school life and work. Thus, I will upload 4 ch/week from now on. Expect more satisfying scenes in the future! Thank you~ ?? Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha After a while, Caville¡¯s eyelids fluttered open. Elody awkwardly fell out of bed and spoke, ¡°¡­D-did you sleep well, Caville?¡± ¡°Yes. How about you, wife?¡± Caville pretended to blink to get out of his stupor and rubbed the remainders of sleep from his eyes. He wanted to look like a cute cat but instead looked like a tiger in Elody¡¯s eyes. ¡°I-I slept well too.¡± There was an awkward silence. Elody stood up and looked at Caville¡¯s eyes. Normally, Marie would be in charge of waking, dressing, and apanying Elody in her daily activities. After she woke up, Marie would help her take a bath and change her garments. But¡­ Caville was in the room, so she couldn¡¯t call Marie to change her clothes. Fortunately, Caville left the room, saying that he needed to wash himself. ¡®He just woke up but his skin looks so wless! Is it because of his young age?¡¯ Elody pondered while waiting for Marie toe in. Momentster, Marie came into the room and helped Elody wash up. Then, Elody¡¯s usually tied up hair was braided down to her back. ¡°Why not just tie it up like usual?¡± ¡°Because His Grace is here.¡± So? Elody was confused. Her oblivious self couldn¡¯t figure out what her hair had to do with Caville¡¯s return. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Marie sighed. The duke had just returned, so she wanted Elody to look pretty in his eyes. However, Elody never felt the need to look pretty in front of Caville. ¡°Well, it¡¯s just¡­ you know, Madame. Aren¡¯t you tired after all that yesterday?¡± ¡°Not at all. It turned out fine, and I was actually able to get a good night¡¯s sleep.¡± ¡°Then¡­ how was it like with the lord?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You know¡­ you slept with him yesterday.¡± ¡°Uh, it was just a bit awkward.¡± ¡°Just awkward?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡®Just awkward¡­ So they only slept,¡¯ Marie thought. ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything else?¡± ¡°What?¡± She felt like she was talking to a wall¡­ it was difficult to discuss this topic with the clueless duchess. So Marie decided to give up. ¡°I shall dress you now.¡± Elody usually wore a white silk georgette chemise, decorated with frills at the bottom, and tied in a pretty bow on the waistline. She wore it because the chemise was easy to pair, wasn¡¯t tight, veryfortable, and ttered her frame but didn¡¯t give too much exposure. For today, however, Marie chose to dress Elody in more colorful clothes than usual. The chemise she wore was richly embroidered with yellow silk, and daintyce-like traceries trimmed the bodice and sleeves. ¡®It¡¯s quitefy, but theces and frills are more than usual.¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t want to wear this.¡± ¡°You have to!¡± There was a brief scuffle over the ribbon on her waist. Elody refused, saying it was cumbersome, but Marie argued that it was the most important part of the dress. ¡°Please, madame.¡± ¡®What do you mean, please¡­¡¯ Marie gave Elody her best puppy-dog-eyes, so she had no choice but to give in. Marie smiled proudly and admired the duchess¡¯ beauty. ¡°You look gorgeous, madame,¡± Marie said to Elody, who was standing in front of the mirror. Elody gazed at herself wearing a pale yellow chemise dress full of frills, decorated with arge ribbon on her back. ¡®This ribbon would definitely fall back and forth in the greenhouse¡­¡¯ ¡°Marie, is something wrong?¡± Elody asked. She had a weird feeling in her gut. ¡°Yes?¡± Marie replied in ignorance. ¡°Did you fight with Sir Vedos?¡± ¡°No, not at all.¡± ¡°So, when are you two getting married?¡± ¡°¡­Why is madame asking me that?¡± ¡°Well, the two of you have missed each other for a long time.¡± ¡°Do you want to see me get married?¡± Elody hugged Marie¡¯s waist and said, ¡°Of course. You will be the prettiest bride in the world.¡± Marie kept silent for a moment, then nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll discuss it with Sir Vedos.¡± ¡°That¡¯d be great.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. Your meal is ready. I¡¯ve also told His Grace.¡± ¡°Thank you, Marie,¡± Elody said as she quickly left the room. After she left, Marie pulled out a handkerchief from her pockets and pressed the edge of her eyes. * * * After eating, Elody dered that she would stay in the next room from today onwards. She had already moved all of her stuff. Caville seemed a little dissatisfied, but he nodded without pursuing the matter any further. Elody sighed in relief. ¡®Will he be okay?¡¯ No matter how oblivious she was with the opposite sex, she knew very well what a marital rtionship was. But Caville didn¡¯t seem to know. She had raised him since he was very young; their rtionship felt like a sibling rtionship, so he didn¡¯t realize how marriages actually worked. As a child, Caville was smaller and had dyed growth due to long-term abuse. She washed him, put him to bed, and wiped his nose every day. So, he thought of her as his guardian. ¡®Where could the princess be¡­?¡¯ Elody thought about asking Caville, but she changed her mind. People said she was the emperor¡¯s niece, so it was highly possible that she stopped by the capital. ¡®When will Caville divorce me?¡¯ In the novel, Caville divorced Elody as soon as he returned¡­ However, the plot might have changed because her actions had differed since the beginning. Even so, ¡®Caville meeting the princess¡¯, this event should¡¯ve remained the same. Elody drank her freshly brewed tea. It was the remedy she had made from the Salvation Herb. Meanwhile, Caville was drinking lemon tea with sweet honey, which he had always liked since he was a child. ¡°Caville, now that you are back, you have to manage the estate by yourself.¡± ¡°Yes, my wife,¡± Caville replied. Elody smiled after hearing his kind response. Elody felt nostalgic since he had always answered her obediently since he was a child. Elody began to exin step by step how sessful the business she had with Sirka was and what she had done with the money. As she spoke, Caville listened with his twinkling eyes. ¡°From now on, I will call my wife the lord of the estate.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t have made achievements like you, wife. My wife has done great in managing thend. You are truly the coolest person I¡¯ve ever known.¡± Elody grinned after being recognized for her contributions to the duchy. It was all because of Caville that Elody had been working hard to manage his estate. She was proud to hear that from the person she did it for. ¡°But, you shouldn¡¯t make me call me lord, Caville. The estate is yours. You went directly to the battlefield to protect thisnd.¡± Elody exined step by step to Caville, just like when they were children. ¡°But the duchy belongs to my wife too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, but I¡¯m only the¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not fair. We¡¯re a married couple.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You said that married couples share everything.¡± Elody didn¡¯t know what to say because she did teach him that way. When he was young, Caville never ate vegetables, so Elody would say, ¡°What¡¯s yours is mine, and what¡¯s mine is yours. Couples share everything,¡± and feed vegetables to each other. It was to prevent him from being a picky eater. However, why would he bring that up here¡­ Since yesterday, Caville seemed to be obsessed with the word married couple. It might be because of the mood. Anyway, Elody was thinking of giving her work to Caville within a few days. ¡®However, today was devoted to plenty of leisure!¡¯ ¡°Caville, let us stroll around the estate. Ah! I¡¯ll show you theb and the greenhouse first.¡± At Elody¡¯s words, Caville nodded with a fresh smile. Then he reached out his big hand to Elody. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody stared at Caville¡¯s hand. They would always hold hands wherever they went. ¡®This is awkward¡­ .¡¯ Elodyughed and grabbed his hand. Caville grinned in satisfaction and headed to the greenhouse with Elody. ¡°You will be surprised when you see it.¡± Elody wanted to be the first to show Caville her greenhouse andboratory. She was going to show him the ginseng and ask what the effect was like. On the way to the greenhouse, the two met Brien and stopped. But¡­ ¡°Sir Vedos, why is your nose bleeding?¡± Elody asked. He stood neatly, bowed his head, and mumbled a bit. ¡°You can wipe with this.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you, Madame.¡± Elody took the handkerchief out of her pockets and gave it to him. Then Brien took a handkerchief and wiped his nose, making eye contact with Caville. ¡®¡­What¡¯s wrong with him?¡¯ Caville red daggers at Brien. He had fought with countless enemies on the battlefield, but his gaze was never this scary. Brien felt like a knife was pressed above his exposed neck. His wife¡¯s handkerchief¡­ Caville bit his teeth. Brien swung his head down, avoiding Caville¡¯s menacing eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t get the chance to wee you yesterday but wee back, Sir Vedos. It¡¯s been a while indeed. You must¡¯ve had a hard time. I¡¯m truly d you¡¯re alright.¡± ¡°Yes, madame. I¡¯m delighted to see you healthy as well. You¡¯re not as big as I¡­ cough. But yes, it¡¯s been a long time.¡± Elody¡¯s eyebrows wrinkled when she heard him saying she wasn¡¯t tall. ¡°¡­Yes. Sir Vedos also looks older than I remembered.¡± It had been a long time since Brien heard one of her insults. And somehow, he was happy to listen to it again. Brien let out a chuckle, but it didn¡¯t look as ttering due to his bloody nose. Elody frowned and spoke, ¡°Thank you for taking good care of Caville. But what¡¯s wrong with your nose?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s nothing.¡± It couldn¡¯t have been nothing, but Brien insisted that it wasn¡¯t anything serious. Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha Brien was sitting on a bench and chatting with Marie. He was d that Marie had brought up the topic of marriage first. While chatting, Brien told Marie about something he had been thinking for a while. It was about Caville. ¡°I am worried about the duke. The cold look reflected on his face gives me shudders. He is far too emotionless. I don¡¯t think young people should be like that¡­ When I was his age, it was the best time of my life. He should be at the age where he can act immature and experience love.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°Ah, and have you heard the story of Princess Larissa of the Dayev Empire? She seems to be interested in the duke. The emperor was also thinking of pairing them up. It would be nice if she could melt the duke¡¯s heart.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Marie doubted her hearing. ¡°What? I beg your pardon?¡± Brien was confused at her reaction. ¡°The duke is already married. What are you saying? He already has a wife!¡± ¡°I mean, they act like a brother and sister anyway. I know that the duchess has raised him since he was a child, but¡­¡± ¡°But the two of them are married!¡± ¡°I mean yes, but¡­ doesn¡¯t the duchess have a lover as well?¡± Marie couldn¡¯t believe the words that came out of his mouth. Marriages between nobles were usually done out of convenience, so it wasn¡¯t a surprise if they had a lover or two. Before Brien left, Elody was already popr with knights. There were quite a lot of apprentices that liked her as well¡­ ¡®Did she really not meet anyone else?¡¯ There was even a divorce system in the empire. Brien predicted that if the two grew up, of course, they would divorce and live like siblings. This was because they had been married since childhood. ¡°Sir Vedos, I didn¡¯t know you were so unfaithful.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ ?¡± ¡°The madame¡­ the madame is!¡± Marie began to cry. ¡°Ugh! The poor madame is¡­¡± She sobbed into her hands, and the tears dripped between her fingers. ¡°Marie, I was wrong. So stop crying, yeah? Please.¡± ¡°Shut up! How dare you think that way about the madame?! I care about her more than you think!¡± She choked out her words in between sniffles from crying, ¡°I feel like a fool! I don¡¯t know why I¡¯ve been waiting for you these past seven years! I will never marry you!¡± Marie shouted. She looked around her surroundings, looking for a weapon. But when she couldn¡¯t find anything, she stared at him with a hellishly mean re on her face. Her eyes were washed with tears of anger, but Brien was still confused, unable toprehend what was making her so mad. As Marie was unable to find a weapon, she instantly balled her hands into fists and struck it right to his face. ¡°Take this!¡± Pow¨C! ¡°Argh!¡± Her fist hit him with such force that blood pooled from his nose. She was finally satisfied. ¡®The madame is suffering from a deadly disease¡­¡¯ Of course, she knew that the duke had also suffered on the battlefield. However, the madame had raised the duke with so much love. She managed the estate alone while waiting faithfully for her husband to return. The duchy had grown so much now, and it was all because of her. Marie thought that the duke should take care of her until her death and that she deserved another life, even after she died. Brien tried to follow Marie, but she had already disappeared. Then, he ran into Elody and Caville. And that was what happened¡­ ¡°¡­I keep getting nosebleeds.¡± Elody suspiciously looked at Brien as heughed it off awkwardly. ¡°My wife, let us leave him alone and proceed on our stroll. I¡¯m curious about the greenhouse.¡± Caville urged. ¡°Alright¡­ Sir Vedos, keep up the good work. Ah, and you don¡¯t have to return the handkerchief.¡± ¡°Thank you, madame.¡± Elody nced at Brien, then took Caville¡¯s hand and headed for the greenhouse. Caville turned his head and red at Brien for a while longer. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Brien was shocked. There was no softness in that gaze. It was a look that conveyed a bubbling hatred ever ready to erupt. ¡®Was that really the duke?¡¯ He thought. He was not the Caville that Brien knew. That person was cold, emotionless, and heartless. The Caville he knew was different. No matter how much he grumbled andined by his side, he had never red at him that way. In all the time Caville had spent growing up on the battlefield, he didn¡¯t bother befriending anyone. He was always alone. It might be because of Ifrit, who was always with him, but others med it on his cold personality. But Brien didn¡¯t want to distance himself from him. ¡®And what? Leave him alone?¡¯ He had been with him since he was a kid and watched him grow up. ¡®Besides, why was he pretending to be so gentle in front of his wife?¡¯ Brien was dumbfounded. ¡®In the end, is his wife the only one he thinks he has?¡¯ Brien recalled his memory of them hugging yesterday. He thought the hug was nothing more than a brotherly hug. A hug he gave to his sister, whom he hadn¡¯t seen for a long time¡­ ¡®Well, the hug was a bit tight.¡¯ Brien scratched his head and looked down at the handkerchief Elody had handed to him. A feeling of guilt came over him. * * * ¡°Wow¡­ it¡¯s beautiful. It¡¯s bigger now.¡± Elody smiled proudly as he looked at the greenhouse in admiration. Honestly, the greenhouse was one of the reasons why she didn¡¯t want to leave the mansion after the divorce. Her touch was all over the greenhouse. Of course, it cost a lot of money¡­ But the main reason was because of all the memories she had with Caville. Elody slipped her hand off his hold. Caville¡¯s gaze went to Elody¡¯s hand that had escaped his grasp. ¡°I¡¯ll be your tour guide. First, this is for researching and nting new seeds. It¡¯s still a long time before we can harvest them.¡± Excited, Elody began to exin what each section was. ¡°And this is a ce where only rare herbs in the mountains are grown. The temperature and climate are controlled by magic.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± Caville asked, pointing at something he thought was strange. ¡°Oh, um¡­¡± The area Caville pointed to was where the Salvation Herbs were nted. Elody was visibly embarrassed. ¡°Can we eat those?¡± ¡°Ah, no! Not yet¡­ It¡¯s a medicinal herb that¡¯s still being studied.¡± ¡®Come to think of it. It¡¯s almost time for my daily dose of medicine¡­¡¯ She was annoyed by the thought of her vomiting blood. Every time she vomited blood, her symptoms were relieved, but vomiting still felt ufortable. And the most annoying part was washing her handkerchief. ¡®I can¡¯t ask the maids¡­¡¯ ¡°Oh! Caville,e over here!¡± Elody beckoned. The ce where she took Caville was arge ginseng field. Red ginseng ingredients that made it possible for her to earn a lot of money! ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Do you remember the red pills that I sent? This is the ingredient.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The red pills that I sent you. Have you not tried it?¡± ¡°What¡¯s a red pill?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What?¡± Elody and Caville looked at each other with puzzled looks. ¡°The medicine I sent with my letters¡­¡± Caville¡¯s expression hardened at Elody¡¯s words. ¡°¡­There was no letter. Apart from this, I have never received any of my wife¡¯s letters¡­¡± Caville said, pulling out the old paper from inside his arms. It was a letter from Elody when the two broke up. ¡°You held on to this?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The letter was wrinkled and worn. He had read it so many times that the words had faded. Caville thought of it as his most precious treasure. ¡®Did he held it close to him all this time?¡¯ Elody turned her head away. Afraid her tears were going to betray her. ¡°More than that¡­ You¡¯ve never received any of my letters? Is that why there was no reply?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I thought it was because of the war, so it was difficult to reply due to security issues¡­¡± Caville was silent. He thought his wife had forgotten him and didn¡¯t send a letter because she didn¡¯t want him toe back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my wife.¡± He felt guilty. ¡°Huh?¡± Caville apologized to Elody, who was worried about crumpling her eyebrows. ¡°I thought my wife¡­ didn¡¯t send me a letter because she forgot me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville took one step closer. He lifted Elody¡¯s hand and kissed the back of it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, uh. That¡¯s alright,¡± Elody replied awkwardly and pulled out her hand. Then she took a step back. The distance was too close, and the back of the hand where Caville¡¯s lips had touched was tingling. He kissed it so tenderly that she could never get used to it. ¡®Why is he so active in skinship?¡¯ Elody had never spoken with any man at such a close distance. She decided that Caville was treating her like an older sister. ¡®Does he do the same things to the princess?¡¯ What were they like in the original¡­ Elody tried to remember it from the novel, but her memory was faint. And while Elody was thinking about needless things. Caville was also deep in thought. He was sorry, thankful, and angry that he had misunderstood. Who the hell stole his letters? Suddenly, an answer came to his mind. ¡®The Temple of Thysser¡­ I¡¯ll just kill them all.¡¯ The temple had monopolized the distribution of letters, newsletters, and military supplies throughout the continent. So the culprit was none other than them! Only fools wouldn¡¯t be able to figure this out. On the battlefield, all documents, including letters, were not allowed to go outside. It was the same for the items that came in. They strictly monitored and controlled documents, as well as objects and information. But they were flexible enough to tell when the news arrived by saying, ¡°The newsletter is here.¡± There were several times where he asked for the newsletter from the priest, but every time, the priest replied that nothing had arrived. The estates in the vicinity of the capital were able toe directly to them and find out more information about the news. However, the Duchy of Cernoir was far away from the capital. Elody said with a serious face, ¡°It looks like someone intended to intercept it. I heard from the servant. He said he definitely gave the items to the priest¡­ Unfortunately, I wasn¡¯t able to get into much detail.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville looked down at his empty hand. The warmth of Elody¡¯s hand had disappeared without a trace. How strange. ¡®It was like that yesterday, too.¡¯ Caville recalled yesterday when he touched Elody¡¯s arm, but she pulled back. Elody¡¯s surprised face was a great shock to Caville. His heart was hurt. And a little while ago, she pulled her hand out of his grasp. Caville was thankful and sorry for her, but he was more sorrowful and angry. He didn¡¯t care whether the temple stole his letters or not. As long as she waited for him and wanted him toe home, nothing really mattered more. So, what was the reason for this heartache? ¡®My wife said she was waiting for me. So why does she keep avoiding me? Why?¡¯ ¡°My wife¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Do you hate touching me?¡± Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha ¡°Huh?¡± Elody wore a puzzled expression. ¡°I used to hold your hand every day. Why can¡¯t I do it now?¡± Caville¡¯s voice sounded more hurt than anything else. Elody didn¡¯t know what to say. Her mind was still surging through perplexity. If the rtionship between a man and a woman was that of a brother and a sister, it would clearly be natural for them to bond through physical contact. However, these two had been separated for seven years. Elody didn¡¯t change much, but Caville had grown from a young boy, who was literally smaller than his peers, to a man who was muchrger than others his age. They should naturally feel awkward about being intimate with each other, but Caville didn¡¯t seem to understand that at all. ¡®This¡­ How should I exin it?¡¯ How should she educate his naive self? Caville had never received sex education. ¡®Stuff like this should be done with a lover. He should be doing it with the princess.¡¯ But she couldn¡¯t just say it nonchntly¡­ Elody sighed. She was troubled. Not just because of this, but because of her stolen supplies and letters too. But for now, she had to appease Caville first. ¡°It¡¯s not like that, Caville. I just feel a little awkward sometimes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Come on, let¡¯s hold hands again.¡± As Elody reached out her hand, Caville held it back. ¡°Let¡¯s look into the issue of the letterster. For now, follow me.¡± Elody dragged Caville to theb next door. She was upset to hear that he had never eaten the red ginseng. She had worked so hard to make it for him, but it was stolen by someone else. Elody handed him the red ginseng, or better known as red pill, to Caville. ¡°Now, try this.¡± ¡°What is this, wife?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good medicine for your body.¡± Caville chewed and swallowed it without hesitation. However, he immediately crumpled his eyebrows. ¡°Bitter¡­.¡± ¡°Is it really that bitter?¡± ¡®He¡¯s still such a child,¡¯ Elody thought. Although his build was huge, he was still childish. Elody couldn¡¯t help but smile at his cute reactions. She would actually feel a bit sad if his attitude had changed. She thought that both his body and mind had matured, but it seemed that only his physical appearance had grown. Caville still thought of himself as the same friendly kid when he was young, so his feelings were hurt when Elody avoided him. ¡°Here. Eat this, too.¡± Elody took out another ginseng. It had better quality and was sliced and marinated in honey. ¡°Come, try it.¡± As Caville opened his mouth, Elodyughed when she recalled memories of her feeding him. ¡°Wife, won¡¯t this taste bitter too?¡± ¡°Of course not, it will only taste like honey.¡± Caville frowned. He was so cute that Elody began tough out loud. Seeing herugh made Caville smile too. However, their fun time together didn¡¯tst for long. ¡°Madame!¡± Marie called. After she saw the two, she immediately bowed her head. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°It¡¯s urgent, Madame. A letter came from the Temple. And Mr. Sirka is here.¡± ¡°Really? What does the Temple want?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure the Temple was the one to steal our letters.¡± Caville grunted, his jaw tightened and his eyes shed a warning. Elody nced at him. His beautiful smile had disappeared without a trace. ¡°Oh, uh¡­ I guess that¡¯s to be expected.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go there together.¡± Caville reached out his hand, and Elody grabbed it while trembling. It was the same Caville, but she still felt a sense of unfamiliarity when she was with him. ¡®How strange¡­¡¯ * * * ¡®Madame¡­¡¯ As she gazed at the backs of the two holding hands together, Marie held back her tears. She felt so betrayed by Brien. She had punched him in the nose, but she still thought that it wasn¡¯t enough. Of course, as Brien had said, the two were like siblings. However, they were married, and they had a strong rtionship. Elody was kind and beautiful, and her husband grew up so nicely, and even better than the servants expected. Everyone should feel grateful and proud for them. ¡®The only thing left is for the madame to be happy¡­ ¡® Her heart ached with unbearable pain, for the madame¡¯s time left was short¡­ Marie quietly wiped her nose and followed the two. * * * As soon as Elody returned to the office with Caville, she checked the letter. ¡°This is ridiculous. What kind of bullshit¡­¡± Elody cursed as she read the outrageous letter from the Temple. The Temple of Thysser, who worshipped Tvekra, had built temples all over the west continent. There was also a temple in the Duchy of Cernoir. However, no priests were dispatched. So the temple was empty. There were a lot of priests when the former duke reigned thend. But as soon as Caville seeded the sovereign, the priests left. This was what the letter said. They would send themander of the pdins all together with the cardinal to the Duchy of Cernoir¡­ And it said that they would visit the mansion to greet him. They obviously had more intentions than to just simply visit the estate. The Temple of Thysser wanted to make Caville the war hero in their stead. It was preposterous¡­ ¡®Huh?¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody¡¯s expression sank after reading thest line. It said that Princess Larisa of the Dayev Empire would alsoe with them. ¡®Of course, she will.¡¯ Elody hesitated and gnawed on her lower lip. She knew at first nce that the emperor wanted to marry Caville with his niece, Princess Larissa. The reason was also obvious. He wanted to keep the Temple in check. Elody pitied Caville, whom everyone tried to use. ¡®But everything should be fine since the princess is there.¡¯ In the novel, the two were really inseparable. They were destined to be with each other. Elody and Caville weren¡¯t exactly married anyway. Aristocrats¡¯ marriage was only valid when the documents were issued by the Temple. If for instance, the couple were married as children, they had to get the Temple¡¯s approval again after the two had be adults. The divorce process was a bit tricky if the temple had approved it a second time, but not if it was only once. ¡®When will he divorce me?¡¯ Elody stared at Caville. ¡®Maybe after the princess arrives?¡¯ Elody was curious about their rtionship, but she didn¡¯t ask. Elody thought of Caville standing side by side with the princess. Someone who was as beautiful as a painting. She should feel happy for them. But¡­ ¡®¡­¡­¡¯ In the eyes of others, they were indeed a perfect couple. It took about two months to get to the Duchy of Cernoir from the capital. However, the letter said that they would stop by a temple in another province along the way. ¡®So maybe about four months?¡¯ Her heart twisted and sunk with nerves when reading the letter, but she couldn¡¯t exin the weird feelings in her heart. It was strange indeed¡­ Elody peeked a nce at Caville. As he read the letter with an expressionless face, a knock could be heard throughout the room. Knock-knock! ¡°¡­Come in.¡± Elody said before Sirka came out from behind the door. ¡°Oh? My! Who is this?¡± Sirka said, his eyes expressing delight. Sirka happily approached Caville. However, Caville¡¯s expression was sour. ¡°Is that you, Your Grace? I¡¯ve heard about your return¡­ Wow, puberty hit you real good!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Caville shortly replied. The atmosphere was chilly, but Sirka didn¡¯t mind it. He just shrugged and proceeded to talk to Elody. ¡°Madame, about the letters you asked before¡­ It was true that the Temple was behind it. I don¡¯t know about other people¡¯s letters, but yours were delivered there.¡± ¡°I just heard the news. Then the Temple must¡¯ve taken all of my magic pills.¡± ¡°Yes, and since they are already distributed on the market, there¡¯s no risk of leakage, but¡­.¡± Elody knew that she had been under the temple¡¯s surveince for years, but they had always been quiet. So Elody concluded that they would do nothing to her. Sadly, she turned out wrong. ¡°Wife, what do you mean?¡± Caville asked with a gentle tone. ¡°It¡¯s true. They¡¯ve been keeping me in check ever since I developed and distributed the magic pills.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Caville¡¯s gaze turned to the letter. Even after the war was over, their time together just had to be interrupted by the temple. Elody sighed before asking Sirka, ¡°Is that the only reason for your visit?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve also brought the bill.¡± ¡°Ah, is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, and oh! I¡¯ve also looked into the building you asked for. It¡¯s a perfect site for the greenhouse.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Elody nced at Caville. She had requested Sirka to look for a new residence after the divorce. Caville stared at Elody with a puzzled look. ¡°We are nning to make more g-greenhouses,¡± Elody mumbled. Then, she made a couple more excuses and took the documents from Sirka. Afterwards, she escaped by saying she needed to go to her study for a while. ¡°¡­¡­¡± And after Elody left, Caville observed Sirka from head to toe. Nervous, Sirka nced at Caville. ¡®He was so cute when he was young¡­¡¯ Now, he wasn¡¯t as cute as back then. He looked terrifying. Plus, Caville was possessive. Sirka still remembered the time when Caville got jealous at him for shaking Elody¡¯s hands. ¡°Well, how have you been? I heard that you made a great contribution in the war. That¡¯s amazing,¡± Sirka spoke awkwardly. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Unfortunately, Caville only stared at him without an answer. He didn¡¯t like him for some reason. ¡°Yes, long time no see.¡± His answer was as cold as ice. Caville looked sternly at him and an expression of hostility suddenly came over his face. It waspletely different from when Elody was here! ¡®Is it just me, or did his tone drastically change¡­?¡¯ Sirka wiped off the cold sweat that had started to appear on his forehead. ¡®Madame¡­ When will youe back? How could you leave me alone with him?¡¯ Chapter 37 Chapter 37 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha Caville tilted his head while staring at Sirka. ¡°I strangely don¡¯t like you for some reason. I wonder why?¡± ¡°M-me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Sirka had lived as a merchant all his life. He could immediately know why Caville didn¡¯t like him. It was probably because of envy. He didn¡¯t like the friendliness between Sirka and his wife during their conversations. ¡®What¡¯s with his personality¡­?¡¯ Sirka stuck his tongue out. Caville was easily jealous since he was like a child when it came to matters of interacting with others, and he still hadn¡¯t realized it. ¡°Well, maybe it¡¯s just a weird feeling?¡± Sirka replied with his business-like smile. ¡®Madame¡­e back quickly. How could you leave me alone¡­?¡¯ But he inwardly cried for the duchess. ¡®Why didn¡¯t I follow after her?¡¯ He deeply regretted his actions. Caville stared at him without answering his question. Sirka kept ncing at the door, wiping off his cold sweat. Fortunately, after a while, Elody, with the papers she had hidden in the corner of her study in hand, returned to the office. As soon as Elody came in, Sirka felt like he could finally breathe. ¡°Madame! Why were you sote?!¡± ¡°¡­What¡¯s wrong?¡± Elody replied, puzzled. Caville continued to look at Sirka with a frigid stare, avoiding Elody¡¯s gaze. A cold sweat broke out on Sirka¡¯s forehead, and he mopped it away with his forearm. But when Elody looked up, Caville¡¯s expression did aplete one-eighty. He looked like an innocent angel as if he had never red at Sirka. The poor merchant didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°Oh, and I¡¯ve also checked all the bills.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, thank you.¡± Elody signed the documents for the next payment and handed it to Sirka. Then she quickly asked, ¡°Ah, Mr. Sirka, would you like to go out for dinnerter?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Caville immediately interrupted their conversation by saying, ¡°I¡¯ve already asked, but unfortunately, he already has an appointment.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so? I guess next time then.¡± He lied so tantly without an ounce of remorse on his face. When Elody left, Caville¡¯s expression had turned so scary¡­ He was like a wolf in sheep¡¯s fur! Sirka was bewildered by the tremendous change of atmosphere. ¡®Whatever happened to his personality after the war¡­?¡¯ It had been a long time since hest tasted the dishes of the mansion¡¯s chef¡­ he was really anticipating the meal. However, seeing the duke¡¯s face made him lose his appetite. ¡®I¡¯d rather starve than eat with that scary man.¡¯ Sirka quickly escaped the mansion in case Elody would make him stay for something else. ¡®Ah,e to think of it. I still haven¡¯t asked the duchess why she was looking for buildings and greenhouses¡­ ¡® Sirka thought. Little did he know that Elody was nning for a divorce. * * * After Sirka left, Elody and Caville took a stroll around thend. The two walked hand in hand, stopping at the fields near the mansion. Elody still felt a bit ufortable to hold Caville¡¯s hand. Nheless, she didn¡¯tin. Because she was more worried about making him sad again. ¡°Caville, do you remember this ce?¡± They used toe here with Marie and Anna to dig for medicinal herbs. ¡°Of course.¡± Elodie smiled. ¡°When I collected the herbs here, youid down on a nket and took a nap¡­¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Time flew by so fast. Elody stared at what was in front of her standing on these hills that were so high that even the far-stretching downtown area beyond the mansion gates could be viewed. The vige was muchrger than it was seven years ago. Elody wondered what Caville would think about the current state of the duchy. She was about to ask for his opinion, but he beat her to it. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it to have changed so much,¡± he said with a warm tone. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville looked down the hill, his eyes expressing delight. Seeing his gaze made Elody feel proud of her aplishments. ¡®Changed¡­¡¯ In some ways, she also sympathized with his words. She never expected Caville to have changed so much. ¡°I have always dreamed of the day when I could meet my wife again.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°On the day I had a nightmare, my wife carried me on her back. Do you remember?¡± ¡°Yes, I remember.¡± Caville gazed at Elody with a beautiful smile, and she gazed back. The atmosphere really felt like the warmth of a sibling¡¯s love. Of course, those were Elody¡¯s own thoughts. Caville stepped forward, then bent on one knee. ¡°I¡¯ll carry my wife this time.¡± ¡°What? Now?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to give my wife a piggy-back ride.¡± And so, Elody hopped on his back and got carried back home. His small back was forever gone. He was so huge and strong now that carrying her seemed like the simplest task. ¡°Am I not heavy?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Elody carefully wrapped her arm around Caville¡¯s neck. She felt strange. When they were young, Caville used to have the scent of sweets. His scent was now different, but it was surprisingly pleasant, and it made her feel weird. Elody enjoyed the gentle wind blowing over her hair. All of a sudden, she thought of the reason for the pounding in her heart. ¡®I feel like I¡¯m being served, what is this?¡¯ Is this how a child feels when a grown-up carries them on their back? Elody was thrilled at the thought and stroked Caville¡¯s head. Caville, who had unintentionally be her servant, only smiled without knowing what had just gone through her head. * * * ¡°Brien Vedos,e here.¡± Late that afternoon, Caville visited the knights¡¯ training ground. And he called for Brien, who was having a battle with the other knights. ¡°What happened?¡± Brien¡¯s face was sullen. Marie dumped him, but he still tried to visit her again. He wanted to change her mind; he knocked on her door and made all kinds of excuses. He tried really hard, but Marie still gave him the cold shoulder. ¡°What¡¯s going on with you?¡± Caville red at Brien, creasing his eyebrows. But Brien was too embarrassed to face him. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Why was your nose bleeding?¡± ¡°¡­I was talking to Marie, and my nose started bleeding¡­ I have a good reason.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s my wife¡¯s handkerchief?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Do I have to say it twice for you to understand? The war is over but the militia is a mess,¡± Caville snarled. Brien quickly straightened himself up and replied, ¡°I apologize.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the handkerchief my wife gave you?¡± ¡°¡­Uh, I¡¯ve washed it and dried it¡­?¡± ¡°¡­Dirty nosebleeds. Ugh, how annoying¡­¡± It was unfair. ¡®I mean, I am sorry for dirtying the handkerchief¡­ but I literally just got dumped.¡¯ Caville, however, took no heed of Brien¡¯s mind and coldly responded, ¡°Bring the handkerchief when it¡¯s dry, and keep out of my sight for a while.¡± ¡°¡­But, what about the banquet tomorrow?¡± Tomorrow was the day when Elody had prepared a banquet for the knights. Brien had no choice but to participate in it because he was the second inmand of the knights. ¡°I¡¯ll only allow it tomorrow.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± He was raised and taught well¡­ Brien nced at Caville one more time before he grumbled and turned away. ¡®Is it because he just got home?¡¯ Caville was subtly different from when he was on the battlefield. It seemed like he could see a bit of his past self. He was like a terrifying person on the battlefield, but now he somehow looked more rxed. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Brien sighed deeply. It wasn¡¯t the time to care about the duke. He had a lot of things to do. First of all, he had to unite the knights who returned from the war and those who remained in the estate. The main problem was from the mercenaries who joined the order. The knights were divided into three groups. The first group was led by Sr. They were the estate¡¯s original knights who participated in the war. Second was the mercenaries led by Heinz. Andst but not least, was Therion¡¯s group. The knights who remained in the estate. Brien suffered from a massive headache after trying to join the three forces together. He had to solve the task as soon as possible. By all means, he was hoping that nothing terrible would happen at the banquet. ¡®I¡¯d be in trouble if they made an ident there.¡¯ Fortunately, however, unlike Brien¡¯s worries, the knights did not cause any problems. However, something unexpected happened. The vassals who had ignored Caville before came to the banquet uninvited and caused minor problems. The only vassals who got invitations were Baron Vendos and Baron Bernard, who had participated in the war. ¡°¡­What is the meaning of this?¡± Caville glowered. ¡°Please forgive me, Your Grace!¡± ¡°I beg for Your Grace¡¯s forgiveness!¡± He was stunned to see the vassals down on their knees. Caville knew that they were his vassals, but truthfully, he had no idea what their respective names were. ¡°Your Grace, I think they have reflected a lot, so please listen to them at least once¡­¡± Baron Vendos, a vassal who had participated in the war, persuaded Caville in distress. ¡°That¡¯s right. They have been asking for your forgiveness¡­ Please have mercy on them,¡± Baron Bernard added. The vassals who participated in the war and those who did not were expected to have a bad rtionship with each other, but not necessarily. Cavill spoke with a stern look to the vassals who imed to be sinners. ¡°I have never invited you.¡± His voice was so cold that it made them feel goosebumps. ¡°Just trust us! If we talk, he¡¯ll hear your story right away!¡± ¡°Yeah, have faith in us! Instead, you must keep what you promised.¡± Before the banquet, Caville remembered Baron Vendos and Baron Bernard were whispering to the vassals and asking them to trust the two who were currently down on their knees. The two barons stared at Caville while sweating profusely. Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha ¡°¡­¡­¡± Unlike their expectations, Caville stared at the two barons as if he was saying, ¡®What nonsense are you talking about?¡¯. In fact, he didn¡¯t have any reason to listen to their nonsense. It seems that Baron Vendos and Baron Bernard misunderstood Caville. They did not doubt that they were loyal subjects of great trust to Caville and were lost in that delusion. Baron Vendos was the first to follow his orders. He cut the enemy with his great abilities, not losing to the young knights on the battlefield. Caville even rewarded him a medal for his bravery. In addition, Baron Bernard was one of the vassals whom Caville had rescued himself. At the time, the baron was taken as a hostage in the enemy camp because of a stupid mistake. He was ready to die. But then, Caville pursued the enemy by himself, annihting the small troops and saving him from his misery. At that time, Baron Bernard vowed to give Caville his life. So, of course, they would naturally hold strong feelings for him. But Caville didn¡¯t feel the same. He did trust them, but that was it. He had no intention of offering them anything else under the pretext of trust. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody, sitting next to Caville, observed the vassals¡¯ expression while they were kneeling like sinners. She started recalling the names from both of their family charts in her head. ¡®Their rtionship isn¡¯t as bad as I had thought¡­ ¡® Then her gaze went towards those who participated in the war and those who did not. Elody looked at the knights with a stiff expression. The seats were for the knights in the first ce. The knights were supposed to be the main protagonists of the banquet today, but they were unable to enjoy the party due to the vassals¡¯ sudden interference. They groaned in response. Elody felt sorry for them, but the vassals still couldn¡¯t take a hint. Suddenly, a short and skinny-looking baron appealed to him. ¡°But¡­ Your Grace. Please listen to our excuses,¡± Baron Garcia said. Caville turned to find Brien. He was going to tell him to kick them out immediately. But then, Elody grabbed Caville¡¯s hand from under the table. ¡°Wife?¡± Caville asked in confusion. Elody nced at him. She was gesturing at him to listen to their stories. She sped Caville¡¯s hand and patted it a couple of times. ¡®It is a bitte, but I want him to be recognized¡­ ¡® Elody wanted Caville to be acknowledged by the vassals. She wanted him to be a duke who was proudly respected and honored by everyone. And she wanted them topensate for their past mistakes when they neglected Caville because he was the former duke¡¯s illegitimate son. ¡®Of course, Caville doesn¡¯t need their recognition, but¡­¡¯ The vassals of the Duke of Cernoir could also be a strong force to face the emperor or the Temple. Elody couldn¡¯t remember the story in detail, but she knew for a fact that the temple would try to use Caville in the future. That¡¯s why the vassals could help him if such a day arrived. Caville nodded after understanding the meaning of her eyes. Elody was going to pull back her hand, when suddenly¡­ ¡°¡­..!¡± Caville grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly. The hands of the two were tightly entangled under the table. He trapped her small hand from escaping his clutches. Elody¡¯s blush burned through her cheeks, and her face felt like a hot oven, but Caville still boldly squeezed her palm. ¡°¡­Alright, let¡¯s hear your story,¡± Caville said. The vassals introduced their names one by one as soon as Caville permitted them. * * * By the time Caville led the war to victory, the vassals who did not participate in the war were raging in agony. Baroness Garcia, in particr, was more anxious than anyone else. ¡°Honey, what if the Duke of Cernoir returns and asks for us to pay for our sin?¡± The Baron¡¯s wife said as she bit her lips. ¡°Darn it! I have to find a way! But how¡­.¡± They were the vassals who were givennd in exchange for a pledge of loyalty to the Duke of Cernoir. Everyone had chosen to ignore that child because he was the former duke¡¯s illegitimate son. However, he had be such a great hero that no one would even dare talk about his legitimacy. They wouldn¡¯t be able to say anything if the duke confiscated theirnd since they failed to obey his orders. ¡°That bastard¡­! I thought he¡¯d die¡­¡± Baron Garcia apparently expected Caville to die on the battlefield. So he sucked up to Count Borque, who would be the new owner of the duchy. Count Borque was the former duke¡¯s younger brother. Without Caville, the ownership of the duchy was to go to him. After the young duke died, the emperor would eventually be forced to give possession of the estate to Count Borque. Baron Garcia believed it and did not have second doubts. ¡®But how did this happen¡­!¡¯ There was no time to worry about what had already passed. After contemting for a while, Baron Garcia contacted the other vassals and held an urgent meeting. Everyone was anxious. ¡°Whatever happens, we must ask for his forgiveness.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°The former Duke hasn¡¯t gotten rid of the convention anyway! We have excuses too!¡± They put their heads together and worked on the answer. For now, it was important to bring the two families, Baron Vendos and Baron Bernard, who participated in the war, to their side. ¡°But, do they even want to help us?¡± ¡°We have to find a way somehow.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°Ah!!! How about this?¡± One of the vassals had a good idea. It was just right for their situation. And as expected, when they presented their opinions to the two families who participated in the war, they easily persuaded them. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll go ahead and persuade the duke.¡± ¡°Make sure you keep your promises.¡± Baron Vendos and Baron Bernard easily crossed over sides. ¡°Good thinking!¡± The vassals toasted their drinks, believing they could continue on with their lives all filled with bliss. There was a slight disagreement, but in the end, all the vassals had the same purpose. With the Duke of Cernoir as their leader, a conference will be held again to strengthen the duke¡¯s power. They could be arge force. Farrger than the power of the northern duke, the southern duke, and even the eastern duke. In the far past, the Duke of Cernoir was indeed more powerful than the others. Their united goal was to regain their power, and to be strong enough to threaten the Imperial Family. And in return, what the vassals promised Barons Vendos and Barons Bernard¡­ Was to put the granddaughters of the two families in the seat of the duchess. * * * Baron Garcia starteding up with excuses to Caville while making his expression as pitiful as possible. ¡°Your Grace, unlike Baron Vendos and Baron Bernard, our estates were in ruin at the time.¡± ¡°Go on¡­¡± The kneeling vassals next to him nodded in sync. ¡°Also, the former duke destroyed the conference and dered that he would never see the vassals ever again.¡± Baron Garcia said as he burst into tears. ¡°Your Grace! It was our urgent priority to take control of the destend first¡­ Hence why we couldn¡¯t immediately obey Your Grace¡¯smand. It¡¯s a sin punishable by death!¡± ¡®So then, why won¡¯t you just die?¡¯ ¡­is what he wanted to say, but Caville stayed calm. His wife might be surprised if he said such scary things. ¡°But¡­ Your Grace! Please show mercy and give us another chance. I offer you my allegiance¡­!¡± Elody was listening to Baron Garcia¡¯s excuses with a wistful look on her face. When she turned her head, she saw that Caville¡¯s expression was simr to hers. She was a bit embarrassed because he repeated the same excuse every time. However, the look on his face was quite serious. He was desperately trying to me the former duke for his mistakes. In the meantime, Elody wanted to remove her hand from Caville¡¯s tight grasp, but he seemed to have no intention of letting her go. Consequently, Elody gave up and decided to watch Baron Bernard and Baron Vendos closely. ¡®What is their reason¡­?¡¯ Why were they siding with the vassals who refused to obey Caville¡¯s orders? Fortunately, Elody was able to find out not long after. Because Baron Vendos and Baron Bernard came to Elody in person. * * * Among the vassals, Baron Vendos and Baron Bernard were the closest to each other. When the decree to participate in the war was issued, the two struggled together. ¡°I never intended to be loyal to the Count of Borque!¡± ¡°Likewise. He¡¯s not worthy of my submission.¡± Unlike the other vassals, the two were not on good terms with Count Borque. That was how they got close. Butter, if the duchy gets into the hands of Count Borque¡­ It was clear that the two families would see a great deal of trouble. Therefore, the two participated in the war with the desire to gamble on the young Duke of Cernoir. If he couldn¡¯t prove himself, they were thinking of entrusting their family to the Temple or the Imperial Family. In recognition of their contribution to the war, they would ask them to protect their descendants from the hands of Count Borque. Yet unbeknownst to them, the young duke turned out to be a hero. They were able to win the war and return safely to their homes. As a result, their gambling was sessful and after returning from the war, their heart sang for joy. ¡°It¡¯s a miracle for me to be able toe back alive and meet my children¡­¡± ¡°Surely.¡± The son and daughter of the two families had gotten married at a young age. And soon they gave birth to a lovely daughter. The child¡¯s name was Iris, she was the granddaughter of the two barons. Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha For the two grandfathers, their cute granddaughter was an angel who wouldn¡¯t even dare to hurt a fly. ¡°Iris, my granddaughter. How pretty you¡¯ve be!¡± ¡°How could you have grown so beautiful?¡± ¡°Grandpas! You¡¯re all right! Iris has been waiting for you two to return for so long!¡± The two grandfathers, who had just returned from the battlefield, gave their grown-up granddaughter a warm hug while shedding tears of joy. These were such blissful days¡­ They swore allegiance to a duke who became a war hero. All that was left was to drive out Count Borque and his vassals. A sneering smile was painted on their faces as they envisioned their long-awaited revenge on the vassals that had attached themselves to Count Borque. The two barons intended to incite the duke to expel the rest of the vassals. Having not listened to the duke¡¯s orders to participate in the war, he had every reason to cast them away. Furthermore, they could also take away some of the other vassals¡¯nds. However, contrary to their expectations, Baron Garcia came to visit them and gave them an offer. ¡°Now that he hase back as a hero, the duke will regain his former power.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Baron Vendos and Baron Bernard expressed extreme displeasure at Baron Garcia¡¯s sly remarks. ¡°He also deserves a new duchess. The daughter of Count Mcir¡­ How can a fool like that be the duchess?!¡± ¡°Cough¡­¡± It was ridiculous for a man who did not participate in the war to say such things, but what he said was not entirely wrong. The current duchess was a cold-blooded woman who sent the young duke to war and never even sent him a letter. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Baron Bernard and Baron Vendos¡¯ precious granddaughter is beautiful and intelligent¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± They raised their eyebrows. ¡°Isn¡¯t it better for her to take the seat of the current duchess?¡± Baron Garcia said, giving a cunning smile. Baron Vendos and Baron Bernard exchanged nces at each other. It wasn¡¯t impossible. If their beloved granddaughter became the duchess¡­ To be the duke¡¯s wife who became a war hero, even the empress would be envious of her. As they were the contributors to the victory of the war with the duke, they would be able to push back the daughter of Count Mcir. The offer was so sweet that they couldn¡¯t possibly refuse it. It was only natural that the two barons, who were initially known for doting their granddaughter, epted the vassals¡¯ proposals. Therefore, Baron Vendos and Baron Bernard decided to help the other vassals gain the duke¡¯s forgiveness. And conspired together for the future. To regain the power of the Duke of Cernoir so that the whole empire wouldn¡¯t be able to ignore them! If that happened, then the vassals would gain control as well. ¡°Grandpas, is that true?¡± Iris felt like she was dreaming when she heard that they would take her to the duke¡¯s mansion. ¡®To be able to go to duke¡¯s mansion¡­!¡¯ She had encountered numerous nobles who wouldugh at her naivety in high society. ¡°Even if they¡¯ve contributed to the war, it should be difficult to be invited to the duke¡¯s mansion. Isn¡¯t that right, Miss Iris?¡± When Iris bragged about her grandfathers, the other nobles would snort at her words. ¡°You¡¯ve never been to the duke¡¯s mansion before anyway.¡± None of those in her social circles had ever been to the duke¡¯s mansion. But now that would all change. Iris would be the first. Her level of happiness rose to ecstatic when she heard of the news. The duke was a war hero, and he was rumored to be a very handsome man. A few days ago, thedies at her tea party chatted about how much they wanted to see the duke at least once. Iris could finally brag to the otherdies who had looked down on her. Iris asked with a curious look, ¡°Grandfathers! Iris heard that the duke is an attractive man. Is that true?¡± ¡°Oh, of course! You¡¯ll be surprised to see how handsome he is!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure His Grace will fall in love with our beautiful granddaughter, too!¡± ¡°Really? But the duke has a wife.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mind that!¡± The duke had returned as a great war hero. If he wants, he could even make amoner woman his duchess. But the most important thing was to make the duke fall in love with Iris. If everything goes ording to their ns, then they wouldn¡¯t need to worry about gaining the support of the other vassals. ¡°Call the best tailor here immediately!¡± * * * Iris recalled the lyrics of the bard¡¯s song for the duke, which they sang on the main street. A smile of joy and satisfaction lit up her eager face. She had been walking around with her head up in the clouds, thinking about how the other nobles would look at her in envy. Iris ordered several dresses and changed them dozens of times. ¡°As grandfather said, what if His Grace the Duke sees Iris and falls in love?¡± ¡°Then mydy will be the duchess!¡± The maid replied whilebing her beautiful blonde hair. The smile of pleasure came upon her face again. ¡°Will the duchess leave me alone?¡± ¡°She has to! If she touches even a strand of mdy¡¯s precious hair, then I won¡¯t let her go!¡± Iris chuckled at the maid¡¯s loyalty. And so Iris held her two grandfathers¡¯ hands and waited, dreaming of the day when she could go to the duke¡¯s mansion. * * * The day after the banquet, Baron Bernard and Baron Vendos visited Elody. Caville was away with the knights to check the security of thend, and Elody was handling a backlog of documents. Elody looked closely at the two barons who waited for her in the parlor. After a brief greeting, they came straight to the main topic. ¡°Madame, I¡¯m sorry to say this, but¡­ The duke needs a supporter who can empower him.¡± ¡°Yes, we cannot acknowledge you as the duchess.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Elodyid down her teacup and looked at them. The two barons continued to talk, ¡°If our two families¡¯ granddaughter bes the duchess, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be a greater help than you!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been doing a good job of managing thend, but¡­ The two of you have not received the official seal from the temple, right?¡± To put it shortly, what they meant to say was ¡®You are not qualified to be the duchess.¡¯ Elody was embarrassed because they were so transparent in showing what they want. These were not remarks that the vassals could recklessly tell to the duchess. However, they seemed to have no brain as they were audaciously rude. At the same time, the two were the ones who sided with Caville on the battlefield. It was natural that they wouldn¡¯t favor Elody because they thought that she had never sent a letter to him. They knew that they were being rude, but they were still confident. Elody thought they were at least sincere in their statements. The duke was young, and the two barons respected him. They must have thought that the duke deserved the right duchess. ¡°If you have no intention of divorce, we will go through a formal meeting¡­.¡± Elody, who had been silent all the time, finally opened her mouth and spoke, ¡°Well, was this something that needed borate recognition in the first ce?¡± The two Barons blinked in surprise at the unexpected answer. ¡°Besides¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Baron Vendos, Baron Bernard. I don¡¯t know if your granddaughter can be a great help to His Grace the Duke.¡± ¡°Wha-what are you¡­!¡± Baron Vendos baffled. ¡°Cough¡­! Still, she will be far stronger than the daughter of Count Meir.¡± Baron Bernard replied calmly. Elody took another sip and smiled a little before saying, ¡°I¡¯m not talking about me. Did you hear the story that the emperor considers his niece, Princess Larissa, as a potential bride for His Grace the Duke?¡± Elody was dumbfounded at their stupidity. Caville has the princess, the original heroine of the novel¡­ Could the granddaughter of the mere baron be greater than the princess, the emperor¡¯s niece? ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± As expected, the mouths of the two Barons dropped to the floor. They were embarrassed. The two barons expected the duchess to cry and insist on never getting divorced. However¡­paring the princess to their granddaughter. They certainly got caught off guard with her unexpected reaction. Elody tilted her head. She was embarrassed because she felt like a mother-inw who was choosing a daughter-inw for the duke. She thought when Caville came back with the princess. She would just seal the divorce papers and end it right then and there. Elody sighed deeply and said, ¡°And seeing how you take lightly of the duchess¡¯s position by showing up with your disrespectful behavior¡­ I don¡¯t think I should give this seat to that granddaughter of yours.¡± ¡°Cough-cough¡­¡± Baron Bernard and Baron Vendos were further ashamed. ¡®Their rtionship had turned out to be like one between siblings. Plus, she already knew that she would get divorced from the start¡­.¡¯ After their granddaughter and Caville got married, a son¡¯s birth mightter result in more wealth and power. However, their granddaughter was never an option from the start. No wealth and no power. She had nothing she could empower Caville with. As expected, the heroine Larissa was destined for Caville. Elody smiled and offered them tea. The tea had been cold for a long time because they hadn¡¯t drunk even a single sip. The two who thought themselves to be genius schemers had no choice but to gulp down the cold tea. However, it was ridiculous when they thought about it. The duchess was the one who had been sitting on the sidelines during the war, doing absolutely nothing. But now she was pretending to be a duchess, telling them that the princess was better than their granddaughter¡­ And frankly, they were embarrassed by Elody¡¯s dignified appearance. She was calm, poised, but terrifying at the same time. Baron Bernard spoke out angrily, ¡°Well, the more I think about it, the more ridiculous it is. Do you think you deserve to worry about the duke¡¯s life?¡± Baron Vendos, who was encouraged by Baron Bernard¡¯s words, also added, ¡°That¡¯s right! I don¡¯t even want to call you madame! After all these years of hiding from the duke, how dare you suddenly act as if you care now! A woman who is not even qualified to be the duchess gives us advice!¡± It was then. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± The voice was so cold. Caville came in and looked at the two barons with an icy cold re that could freeze hell over. * * * A little while ago, Iris, who followed her two grandfathers to the duke¡¯s mansion, was very excited. She even dressed up in a beautiful dress that was nowadays popr in the capital city. The pampered granddaughter of the two barons began to look around the mansion with excitement. And then¡­ ¡°Where¡¯s my wife?¡± ¡°Her Grace is talking to Baron Bernard and Baron Vendos in the parlor,¡± Norman replied. ¡°With my wife? Why?¡± Caville took off his gloves and entered the mansion with an anxious look. Norman then led Caville up the stairs. He felt uneasy even though his time away from his wife wasn¡¯t that long. Iris, who was in the hallway on the second floor, calmed her heart when she saw Caville going up the stairs. ¡®What if he really falls in love with me?¡¯ She was thinking about it and was about to say hello gracefully¡­ However¡­ ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville brushed past Iris who was wearing a colorful pink dress as if she was a nobody. As if he had seen nothing. As if she was insignificant. Iris was flustered and just blinked. She wondered if she was invisible. But it didn¡¯t seem so. ¡°Ah, Oh my gosh! Wh-what the¡ª?¡± Someone screeched out of the blue. It was Heinz who was following in Caville through the stairs. He was surprised to see Iris while climbing the stairs with his head down. ¡°Oh, I thought you were a monster.¡± He thought a giant pink slime had juste into the mansion. He almost pulled his sword out of fear. His actions were unbelievably rude. Nevertheless, Heinz was a former mercenary, so it was only natural that he did not know the manners of a knight. Heinz grumbled a little and passed by Iris with an annoyed look. Iris was left alone to swallow her shock. Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha ¡°Ah, Your Grace!¡± Heinz quickly followed after Caville and called him in a hurry. At the end of the corridor on the 2nd floor, Caville turned towards Heinz, before entering the parlor. ¡°Ah, Your Grace! Will you please listen to me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll count three, so make it quick. One¡­¡± ¡°Princess Larissa, the capital¡­!¡± ¡°Two, three,¡± Caville said as he shook his hand, telling him to go away. Heinz bit his lips angrily. Caville gave him a cold nce after seeing him not quickly taking his leave despite being told to. Eventually, Heinz turned and sighed deeply. He turned around and tried to go down, but the slime standing near the stairs irritated him greatly. Speaking of which¡­ ¡®What the hell was wrong with the leader these days¡­ ?¡¯ After returning to the duchy, the duke¡¯s personality seemed a little strange. At first, he thought it was because of the atmosphere of the mansion. However, he definitely found something strange when he was patrolling the territory at dawn. Caville suddenly jumped off his horse to pick a flower on the field. Then, heughed like a maniac all alone. Furthermore, he was carrying a hand-mirror and kept staring at his face. At that time, Heinz really got goosebumps. It was downright creepy. After Heinz came to the estate, he had something he didn¡¯t like. Of course, the duchy was beautiful and rich. He also liked the knight¡¯s amodation. Heinz and his men lived as wandering mercenaries. He was satisfied with the fact that he could settle down in afortable ce. Moreover, the facilities in the training ground were surprisingly luxurious. In fact, it was true that his worries prevailed until he arrived at the estate. He was worried that the men who were former mercenaries like himself would be depressed. Fortunately, Sr and other knights who fought with them together on the battlefield took care of the mercenaries. Plus, the servants were kind. However, there were times when he would feel alienated. He had no choice but to feel that way because he was not originally from the duchy. It had only been a few days since he arrived, so he thought it would get better. However, whenever he felt left out, the more he got upset and angry. Besides, the knights remaining in the mansion had never gone to the battlefield, yet they took no shame in bragging about their knighthood¡­ It was absurd. ¡®They¡¯ve done nothing but y around and eat luxurious food¡­ .¡¯ Worse of all, Heinz thought it was ridiculous when they talked about their ¡®precious¡¯ duchess and praised her. ¡®What the heck did the madame do to make the knights like that¡­?¡¯ Even in the banquet hall, the duchess looked very extravagant. Her pink hair was luscious and looked as if it was covered with expensive palm oil, and her skin was white and shiny. In addition, the dress and jewelry that she was wearing looked quite expensive. ¡®Tch! Braggart¡­ ¡® Heinz had red at the duchess throughout the banquet. In fact, beforeing to the mansion, he imagined her to be a scary-looking witch because of the age gap between her and the duke. However, the duchess looked more gentle than what he had imagined. So, he felt even more annoyed. Heinz was sure that she was nning something atrocious behind his back. ¡®I hope the princesses soon¡­ ¡¯ Heinz was excited to hear that Princess Larissa wasing to the estate. No matter how much he thought about it, the princess was the perfect wife for the duke. Even though she was a princess, she did not look down on Heinz and his crew because of their background as mercenaries. Rather, she respected and showed them a polite attitude. Such kind gestures were unfamiliar to him, who had always been told he was a useless mercenary. For a person with such a high status as her to care for them¡­ When she was interested in the duke, Heinz thought that the respected duke and the kind princess was a fated pair. Heinz had made up his mind. He decided to be the stepping stone of the love that would connect the two! It didn¡¯t matter to Heinz that Caville was already married. He was a war hero, so he should have no problem in getting a divorce. Even if they got divorced, it was better for him to find a better wife. ¡°Yo-Your Grace! Why are you doing this?!¡± ¡°Your Grace!¡± Huh? Heinz, standing still and indulged in thought, turned his head and looked back. There was a huge racketing from the parlor. * * * In fact, the two Barons were also feeling a sense of crisis because of Princess Larissa. So, before the princess could arrive at the estate, they intended to introduce Iris to Caville. Through their eyes which had a rose-colored filter, Iris was very lovely. Enough that they had expected for the duke to fall in love with her at first nce. Before the war broke out, they knew roughly that the rtionship between the duke and the duchess was as close as a brother and a sister¡­ but they didn¡¯t care about it too much. For seven years had passed without her sending even a single letter. So they thought it obvious that the rtionship between the two of them would be sour. When they came back to the mansion for the banquet, they saw that the ducal couple were not on bad terms, but they thought it was just a pretense. However¡­ ¡°Baron Vendos, Baron Bernard. Why are you talking about the qualifications of the duchess?¡± The duke, who suddenly barged into the parlor, asked with a very cold voice. He seemed to be mad. The two barons were dumbfounded and nced at each other. ¡°Your Grace the Duke. We are just loyal to Your Grace¡­¡± ¡°Yes, as your vassals we¡­¡± The duke¡¯s reaction was disappointing. Was His Grace the Duke now on the side of the duchess? On the side of that woman who hadn¡¯t sent a letter in seven years? They felt betrayed. ¡®How dare they say that to my wife?¡¯ Without hesitation, Caville pulled his sword out of his scabbard and pointed it at them. ¡°Yo-Your Grace! Why are you doing this?!¡± ¡°Your Grace!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The two barons were startled and backed away. One of them tripped over a chair and fell with a loud thud. Elody was surprised. ¡°Your Grace!¡± Elody said with a confused expression. As soon as Caville saw Elody¡¯s frightened face. Clunk¡ª! He dropped his sword on the floor. For him, who grew up on the battlefield, it was impossible to drop his sword on the floor. However, the moment he saw Elody¡¯s surprised expression, he unconsciously threw his sword to the ground. ¡°My wife¡­¡± ¡°Please¡­ Calm down.¡± ¡°But how dare they¡­!¡± Elody was embarrassed. Honestly, he didn¡¯t have to get angry like that¡­ It seems like he had only heard the end of the conversation, but seeing him angry like this scared her. If he had heard the previous conversation, he would have already killed them by now. ¡°Your Grace! What¡¯s going on?¡± Heinz, who ran btedly, entered the parlor. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The room was a mess. The two barons were on the floor, and the duke was standing with the duchess. The situation was starting to make sense. ¡®Ha! Is she already trying to control the duke and defeat the two barons¡­? Unbelievable.¡¯ Heinz still didn¡¯t know why he hadn¡¯t left his wife. ¡°The two of you, leave now.¡± At Elody¡¯s words, the two barons slowly stood up. Their pride was hurt because they had no choice but to listen to the duchess¡¯ orders. ¡°Get out,¡± Caville snarled while releasing a bit of his mana. The two barons immediately rushed out of the room, afraid of the duke¡¯s powers. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The air was filled with awkward silence. Elody backed away, clutching her trembling fingertips. She was terrified of Caville killing the two barons. She was frightened because it was the first time she saw Caville¡¯s holding so much killing intent¡­ ¡°Wife.¡± Caville looked at Elody with gloomy eyes. His heart sank at Elody¡¯s frightened expression. He had never thought of murdering them in front of her in the first ce. He was just trying to make them beg for forgiveness¡­ Elody took a deep breath and spoke, ¡°Caville, when punishing the vassals, you have to go through a formal trial. Of course, it was different on the battlefield¡­ But you are the duke who rules them¡­ so¡­¡± Killing them would be a natural punishment if this were the battlefield, but this was a duchy with many rules and regtions. No matter how high his status is, he couldn¡¯t recklessly punish the vassals without the right procedures. ¡°Okay, wife,¡± Caville replied in a soft voice. His cold voice that struck the two barons were infinite terror and was far different from this one. He sounded like an entirely different person! Elody was mortified because it was the first time she saw Caville¡¯s cold look. Although it looked like Caville was sometimes a naturally cold person because of his appearance, it wasn¡¯t the only reason behind that scary aura. ¡°I was wrong, wife. I¡¯m sorry for frightening you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± But seeing Caville purely blinking and asking for forgiveness, she felt strange. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I wasn¡¯t surprised.¡± ¡®Liar¡­¡¯ Caville pouted his lips and thought to himself. He could clearly see her fingertips trembling¡­ The appearance of his wife, who tried to pretend to be calm, was extremely cute. But at the same time, he felt bad for her. ¡°But wife, they insulted you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not really an insult¡­¡± ¡°Well, I took that as an insult.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°But Caville, they¡¯re the people who have stood by you on the battlefield. I know you have bad feelings for the vassals, but I want you to be a duke who is respected by them.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It would be nice if we could hold another meeting¡­¡± ¡°Alright, wife.¡± Actually, Caville had no intention of doing that, for he thought that it would be useless. In any case, his main goal was to live with his wife for the rest of his life. The support of the temple and the vassals was a different story. Honestly, it would have been fine even if he didn¡¯t have their support. ¡°Besides, Baron Vendos and Baron Bernard are vassals who had participated in the war. Murdering them is bad for your reputation.¡± ¡°Yes. Wife,¡± Caville replied kindly. He didn¡¯t care about his reputation because to him, his wife was the most important and his first priority. However, he did not intend to forgive them. ¡®It¡¯s alright as long as I don¡¯t kill them, right?¡¯ Caville smiled gently and reassured Elody. When she saw Caville¡¯s cute smile, the corner of Elody¡¯s lips also turned upwards. Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha One afternoon¡­ Caville called the two barons to themander¡¯s office in the knight¡¯s building. He called them to the fortress so that his wife couldn¡¯t meet them. Caville was already impatient even though he was only away from his wife for a short time. ¡®I¡¯ll get this done fast.¡¯ ¡°Your Grace¡­ W-we are¡­¡± ¡°Your Grace¡­¡± The two barons started making excuses. But Caville hadn¡¯t called for them to listen to their nonsense. He had called for them to give them his orders. ¡°After listening to my wife, I was told to consider your loyalty.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°So, I decided to show mercy and give you more opportunities to show me your fidelity.¡± ¡°What could this¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while since we came back from the war, so I¡¯ll give you two months. In the meantime, I¡¯ll give you homework.¡± ¡°Homework?¡± ¡°This task is for you to write about the duchess¡¯ qualifications. You don¡¯t seem to know how much work my wife has been doing these past seven years. Find out for yourself, write an essay, and report back to me.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°And for those two months, go have fun with your family before saying goodbye.¡± ¡°What? Goodbye?¡± ¡°Today, while patrolling the territory, I heard that the number of monsters in the Forest of Death had increased tremendously.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You must spend the rest of your lives in the Forest of Death and defeat those monsters. You two have a good rtionship, so you¡¯ll probably live happily,¡± Caville said as he gave them an eerie smile. Truthfully, Caville wanted to send them away right at that instance. However, Elody told him to give them two months, so he had no choice but to follow his wife¡¯s words¡­ ¡®If they suddenly disappeared, my wife might misunderstand.¡¯ But the two barons stared at Caville with a stupid look on their faces. They couldn¡¯t understand what he was talking about. Two months? Goodbye? Monster? Forest of Death? Happy life? What did that all mean? For those who did not understand, Caville kindly added, ¡°I am grateful to your loyalty, hence why I made this special order just for you.¡± ¡°Your Grace¡­ How could this be?!¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t do this, Your Grace!¡± Caville frowned at the cries of the two barons who finally understood the situation. With emotionless eyes, the two barons slipped away from Caville¡¯s line of sight. However, no matter how scared they were, they could never ept this order. For it was utter nonsense. ¡°Your Grace, we have only just returned to our family! There are not many days left to live¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Shouldn¡¯t I have to spend the rest of my life with my family?!¡± At the words of the two Barons, Caville replied calmly, saying, ¡°Oh, of course, you can.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Just move there with your family.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Your Grace!!!¡± Caville arched an eyebrow at them. ¡°Since when have you been so upset about my orders like this? Did you lose your loyalty because the war is over?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Hmm? You weren¡¯t talking like that before.¡± The two shut their mouths. The duke was sincere. 100% sincere. Caville got up from the seat with a happy face when the two finally shut their mouths. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± After Caville left, the two barons looked at each other with vain expressions. Two months. They felt desperate as if they had been sentenced to a limited time. ¡°I can¡¯t do this¡­ How could His Grace tell us to¡­?!¡± ¡°He must have been possessed by the duchess! Like the enchantment of a Siren!¡± ¡°That¡­ wench!¡± They grind their teeth. ¡°We can¡¯t go there.¡± ¡°We just came back¡­¡± Both Baron Vendos and Baron Bernard shook their heads. If they went to the Forest of Death under the duke¡¯smand as it is, then Baron Garcia and other vassals could get the opportunity to win his favor. They didn¡¯t go through so much trouble on the battlefield for the others. They had made up their minds to stick close to the duke, who had be a war hero. No matter what! Baron Vendos came up with a good idea after much consideration. ¡°If Iris can win His Grace¡¯s heart within two months, wouldn¡¯t it be different?¡± ¡°Oh, yes, that¡¯s a good idea!¡± Thest hope left for the two barons was Iris. Their beautiful granddaughter, whom they had pampered as she was their favorite child in the house. There was a good chance for them toe out alive. Though, they had totally and conveniently forgotten that their n of making the duke fall in love at first sight with Iris had failed miserably before. Nevertheless, to them, Iris was a beautiful and unique child. She was more than enough to seduce the cold-hearted-duke. If Iris, who captured the duke¡¯s heart, said that it would be nice for her grandfathers to stay by her side¡­ Then they could be saved! The duke would not be able to do anything. However, the problem was that the duke was much closer to the duchess than what they had thought initially. ¡°Is it possible that His Grace is interested in the duchess?¡± ¡°No matter how close their rtionship was as a brother and sister, they still had no contact for seven years.¡± ¡°That¡¯s strange.¡± ¡°Could she have¡­ made a strange medicine, and His Grace was in a trance because of that magic medicine?¡± It was very likely. The two decided to monitor the duchess by hiring a spy to figure out what had happened to him. They had to find evidence and reveal it because they¡¯re sure that she was hiding something sinister behind her back. * * * Iris was walking in the garden, waiting for her grandfathers. Iris, who had be an invisible person earlier, still couldn¡¯t escape from the shock she had received earlier. ¡°And Iris wore such a pretty dress too¡­¡± It was her favorite pink dress. She had heard that the design was also popr in the capital¡­ Yet, she was called a monster. ¡®What in blue zes was that knight talking about? How dare he! To a nobledy as beautiful as me¡­¡¯ Iris was upset. Moreover, she didn¡¯t get the chance to greet the duke properly. She was supposed to go to the parlor to meet with His Grace the Duke, but she couldn¡¯t because that lousy knight was blocking her way. When she finally gathered some courage to reply back to that rude knight, her grandfathers had burst out from the parlor. ¡®Why did my grandfathers do that?¡¯ They didn¡¯t know how embarrassed she was when she saw her grandfathers running out of the parlor so brashly. And now, Iris¡¯ grandfathers hurriedly took her back to the parlor, saying that they needed to take action. It seemed as if something had happened. But they didn¡¯t tell Iris anything in detail as the two only talked in small voices. Eventually, Iris took a nap using her grandfathers¡¯ murmurs as a luby. And after a while, someone approached and spoke to her grandfathers. Upon hearing that, the grandfathers contemted and headed to the knight¡¯s building. Leaving Iris unattended¡­ This led Iris to explore the garden by herself. Alone¡­ If she knew it would be like this, she would have brought her maid to apany her¡­ Iris grunted, remembering the maid waiting inside the carriage. ¡°Oh¡­ Pretty!¡± While grunting, Iris walked over to find a pretty pink rose in the garden. Pink was Iris¡¯ favorite color. It had always been that way since she was very young. The reason was apparent. A long time ago, when Iris was eight years old, she had a fateful encounter with a handsome young man who had caught her from falling. He was definitely a looker, the most beautiful thing she had everid her eyes upon. And as her eyesnded on his hair, she had to stop. It was the most beautiful color she had ever seen. It was pink. Thus, the pink-haired young man became Iris¡¯ first love. Looking at the pink petals, Iris was lost in her memories, reminiscing about her first love. ¡°Are the roses pretty?¡± Suddenly, she heard a voice from behind. Iris was so surprised that she almost fell. She turned her head with a fiery gaze. ¡°How could you just suddenly talk to me like that?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m sorry for surprising you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Hearing the soft voice, Iris puffed her lips. ¡®The duchess¡­¡¯ There was only one person in this mansion who could dress like that. Iris nced at the duchess, who seemed different from what her grandfathers had said. Then, she carefully grabbed the ends of her skirt and dropped into a curtsy. ¡°So you are the granddaughter of Baron Vendos and Baron Bernard,¡± Elody said. ¡°Do you know Iris?¡± Iris asked in amazement. She wondered if the news about her beauty had spread throughout the duchy. ¡°Who is Iris?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­..?¡± ¡°I am Iris.¡± ¡°¡­Ah, I see.¡± Elodyughed awkwardly. Someone speaking about themselves in third person was rtively unfamiliar to her. Caville would sometimes do that when he was young¡­ ¡®Caville likes his wife.¡¯ ¡®Caville is full.¡¯ Elody smiled as she remembered those blissful memories. ¡°¡­¡­¡± On the other hand, Iris stared at Elody¡¯s pink hair as if she was captivated. It was pink. Her favorite kind of pink. The prettiest pink ever¡­ ¡°Your pink dress is beautiful,¡± Elodyplimented, ¡°Well, I must go, I have a prior engagement to go to. Have a good day, Lady Iris,¡± she said as she disappeared into the mansion. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡®Huh¡­ Was that apliment?¡¯ Iris snorted. It was clear that His Grace the Duke didn¡¯t greet her because he was shy and fell in love with Iris. However, Elody was the first to praise her after she hade to the mansion. Iris unexpectedly felt a little better after being disappointed by the countless people she had met. Hence, the girl returned to her carriage with a lighter gait than before. * * * Both Baron Vendos and Baron Bernard decided to buy one of the duke¡¯s servants. They were in a hurry because they had to reveal the duchess¡¯ true colors as soon as possible. But their attempt failed. ¡°No! It doesn¡¯t make sense that none of the servants want to leak even a bit of information!¡± ¡°It¡¯s like a wall, what is this¡­?¡± The barons secretly contacted some of the duke¡¯s servants, but they tly refused. Even a frail-looking-maid didn¡¯t hesitate to say, ¡°If you touch our duchess, I will kill you along with your family.¡± Their loyalty was terrifying. Hummel, the baron¡¯s servant who was sent for the errand, returned crying and tattered as if he had gotten beaten somewhere. In fact, he did. It was done by the servants of the duke¡¯s mansion, whom he tried to contact today. They tly denied Hummel¡¯s offer and beat him up to a pulp. They even said that they woulde after him until he revealed who his masters were. After he barely escaped, Hummel dered that he wouldn¡¯t continue because he was scared of the servants. However, if they could bribe a new servant in the duke¡¯s mansion, they would be able to let their people in¡­ And yet, they couldn¡¯t even find a single servant who was willing to do so. Thus, their ns were forced to be put on hold¡­ The two barons clenched their fists in anger, ¡°She must have given drugs to all the servants of the mansion!¡± ¡°What kind of potion did they take¡­?¡± ¡°Damn. Should we burn it all up? Both theb and the greenhouse? She¡¯ll never be able to make weird medicine ever again!¡± ¡°Yes! That¡¯s a good idea!¡± But that n also failed. The greenhouse had fire-prevention magic that Elody had studied for over several months. So, there was no way they could burn the whole building down. The two barons were in huge trouble. It seemed as if there was nothing left that they could do. So, for the time being, they decided to find out what the duchess had done so far and write reports about her suspicious acts. And leave everything to Iris. After all, she was the only person that the two barons could trust. Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha Baron Garcia and the other vassals who did not participate in the war were anxiously worried. It had been a few days, but no news hade from the duke¡¯s mansion. Also, Baron Vendos and Baron Bernard said that they were busy and could not meet them. The vassals didn¡¯t know if they were really busy or avoiding them by making up excuses. ¡®To think I put my trust in them¡­¡¯ Baron Garcia was so frustrated that he couldn¡¯t even get a single good night¡¯s sleep. However, a few dayster, the duke issued an edict to Baron Garcia and the rest of the vassals. The decree said that the sin of not following the duke¡¯smand to join the war could not be overlooked. ¡°Unbelievable¡­!¡± However, it was apassionate judgment that he would save his life because he realized his sin and asked forgiveness. However, since they realized their sins and asked for forgiveness, the duke decided to be merciful and spared their lives. [Pass your title onto your child and depart to the Forest of Death as soon as possible. You must make a lifelong apology by fighting monsters there for the rest of your lives.] Shocked and horrified, Baron Garcia fell to the floor. There was no way for him to survive this ordeal. * * * Caville couldn¡¯t just forgive the vassals who did not participate in the war. If he let them go, he would be known as a merciful duke. But he knew that if this happened again, they would probably repeat their mistakes. Elody also agreed on his decision. She nodded when Caville said that he would move them to the Forest of Death instead of killing them. Furthermore, the number of monsters had increased drastically. He was worried that the forest could pose a threat to the duchy. If the vassals go there to defeat the monsters, it will help ensure the citizens¡¯ safety. After seven years of war, Caville had only just returned to thend. The punishment of the vassals was the first thing he handled after returning to the mansion. Elody was pleased to see Caville so grown-up and mature. Still, there were a lot of things that she wanted to tell him. First, Elody had to teach Caville about the work he had to take care of as the duke of the duchy before the princess arrived. * * * Baron Bernard and Baron Vendos had been very busytely. When they heard that the duke¡¯s orders weren¡¯t just given to the two barons but also to the other vassals, they gritted their teeth. To be in the same boat as those who did not participate in the war. The duke was unjust. And the more they investigated the duchess, the more they felt suspicious. The duchess had started various projects for the duchy over the past seven years. Of course, they weren¡¯t able to dig deeper into them because it was under the direct control of the duke. However, she had done something that helped the two barons themselves. It was about farming. As advised by the duchess in the duke¡¯s direct jurisdiction, the farming method had been changed, resulting in a significant increase in production. Thanks to that, the estates next to them also gained information and earned numerous benefits. It was clear that the duchess had made the duchy grow admirably. Rather, it was only fitting for them to thank the duchess directly. However, they felt that something was wrong. ¡°Is His Grace not intending to divorce his wife?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± On the battlefield, the duke always spent his time alone except in battles. Because of that, no one knew the duke¡¯s intentions. His personality was so cold that no one dared to ask. However, the two barons, including the knights, had always expected that the duke would divorce his wife. Unexpectedly, the duke who returned to the estate was not willing to divorce her at all. At least for now. So does he have no feelings for the princess? Or is he waiting for her toe? They had a lot of questions with no answers. The princess was expected to arrive in the territory in about two months. It coincided with the time when the two barons had to leave for the Forest of Death. So before the princess came, they had to make sure that their n worked. The two barons nned to get the duke to fall in love with Iris. But they couldn¡¯t wait forever. As the date of their departure was approaching, their anxiety grew deeper. Baron Vendos first spoke. ¡®Wouldn¡¯t it be better to stick to the duchess? My pride hurts, but¡­ it¡¯s better than going to the Forest of Death.¡¯ ¡®¡­. It is. If Iris fails, let¡¯s just leech on to the duchess. Now is not the time to consider pride.¡¯ The two barons had a conversation with gloomy expressions. In the end, they decided to stick to the duchess right away if Iris failed to capture the duke¡¯s heart. Somehow, they had to avoid being in the same position as the other vassals. * * * Days passed as the vassals kept trembling in fear. Caville made several attempts to hold himself back for Elody, who could be frightened by his actions. After the incident with the barons, Elody was noticeably ufortable with Caville. It was the first time she had seen him like that, so it was natural for her to be surprised. Elody tried not to make it obvious, but Caville could see it in her eyes. And so, Caville visited Elody, who was filing papers in the study. He went there while carrying a rabbit doll that she made by herself. He wanted to show her his lovely side, just like when he was a child. ¡°My wife, are you very busy?¡± ¡°Not at all. What can I help you with?¡± Elody was supplementing the data to hand over to Caville. But when she nced upwards to face Caville. ¡°¡­¡­¡± She stared at him, sitting on the sofa with a puzzled look on her face. ¡®Why is he holding that doll?¡¯ Elody thought, dumbfounded. ¡°My wife. Do you remember that time when you told me that I was as cute as a rabbit?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Elody asked with a confused expression. Caville smiled with the prettiest eyes while holding the rabbit doll. He definitely looked lovely. Even though he was a grown-up adult, Caville still had a lovely side. But¡­ ¡°My wife, how do I look now? Am I as cute as a rabbit?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody looked at Caville silently. It was challenging toe up with the right words. Rabbit¡­ He was as cute as a rabbit¡­ However, it was hard to say that he looked like a cute rabbit from when he was a baby with his body¡¯s current figure¡­ ¡®More like¡­¡¯ Battle rabbit, giant rabbit, muscle rabbit¡­ Elody tried to erase the words that came to mind. Then she replied with a smile as genuine as possible. ¡°Yes, yes. You¡¯re still as cute as a rabbit.¡± Caville smiled at the awkward answer. ¡°Is there anything I can do to help you, wife?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll exin it to you when all the materials are ready. It¡¯s what you¡¯re going to do.¡± ¡°Then I shall boil you some tea.¡± Caville took the rabbit doll and went out of the study. As soon as he opened the door and went out, Caville leaned against the wall with a disappointed expression. A while ago, Elody answered him with an awkward expression. Caville felt like his heart was stung by a needle. ¡°Yes, yes. You¡¯re still as cute as a rabbit.¡± It was definitely true. He wanted to believe that it was true, but it was definitely a lie. Caville pounded his head against the wall with a sad face. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ It was Caville¡¯s biggest concern at the moment. How Elody was ufortable with him. And just in time, a little puppy wandering along the hallway approached Caville. ¡°Why are you doing this? It¡¯s unseemly,¡± Ifrit said. Caville looked down at Ifrit with a cold expression. The appearance of him pretending to be an ordinary puppy was undoubtedly annoying. ¡°Where have you been these past few days? And why did youe back now?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been wandering around the estate! I was just thinking of saying hello to my benefactor, but this is the first thing you say to me?¡± ¡°You? Saying hello to someone?¡± ¡°Why? Can I not do it?¡± ¡°No.¡± Caville grabbed Ifrit and carried him in his arms. Ifrit rebelled a little. ¡°Why are you doing this?! Let me go!¡± ¡°Stay still.¡± Elody must have thought of Ifrit as cute when he was in the form of a small puppy. Caville would never think of him as something cute for as long as he lived. Sadly, however, he was able to witness just that. ¡°Oh, is that a puppy?¡± That¡¯s when Elody opened the door and came out. * * * After Caville returned, Elody asked about the Spirit of Fire. Unfortunately, Caville justughed awkwardly and dismissed the topic¡­ However, she couldn¡¯t believe that a spirit was residing inside the artifact she found. ¡°So cute¡­.¡± Elody smiled as she looked at the little puppy that could fit in both of her palms. It was so cute to see it wagging its tail. She had only seen vige dogs, so she was amazed to see one with such gorgeous red fur. ¡°But benefactor, how did you save me from dying?¡± Elody pondered for a moment at Ifrit¡¯s question. If Elody honestly said that she used an unknown item she received after she died in her previous life, would he even believe it¡­? ¡°I don¡¯t know. But I¡¯m d I saved you. Thank you for protecting Caville.¡± ¡°Yes! Finally, someone who actually talks like a normal person! You¡¯re the benefactor of the Spirit King of Fire! My benefactor! This guy never talks, so I owe Your Grace the¨C¡± ¡°Wife, how about you put that thing away and have a walk with me,¡± Caville said as he shook Elody¡¯s arm. In Caville¡¯s eyes, Ifrit, who was wagging his tail and pretending to be cute, was an annoying pest. Especially his tail. It was very irritating. ¡°Hmph!¡± Perhaps offended by Caville¡¯s words, Ifrit descended from Elody¡¯sp and slipped out of the window. Elody, looking at the figure of the escaping spirit king, stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯m d I found the artifact then.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s all thanks to my wife.¡± ¡°Well then, shall we go for a walk?¡± ¡°That¡¯d be great.¡± ¡°Ah! How about we go downtown tomorrow? The area has changed a lot. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be a ton of fun!¡± ¡°Then, shall we go now?¡± ¡°Shall we?¡± Elody smiled as she left the room, along with Caville. The maid who was waiting in front of the door slightly bowed her head. While going down the stairs with Elody, Caville said as if noticing something wrong about the maid. ¡°By the way, wife, the servants don¡¯t look too good. What happened?¡± ¡°I know, right! Did you feel it too?!¡± Elody replied aloud and before covering her mouth due to her eager voice. It seemed as if they had been having a hard time¡­ After Caville returned, the expressions of the servants were very dark. Marie was also different from usual. Marie, who helped her dress up every morning, didn¡¯t speak the whole time and had a gloomy expression on her face. She was very different from before. ¡®She used to be such a chatty person¡­¡¯ When Elody asked what was going on, Marie only told her that it was nothing, so Elody thought she had a fight with Sir Vedos¡­ However, the other servants were also the same. Their expressions were not good. Seeing that Caville noticed it too, she was sure that it wasn¡¯t because of the mood alone. ¡°I guess there¡¯s something we don¡¯t know. Should I ask Norman?¡± ¡°You can ask himter after we y, wife. You¡¯ve been too busy these days.¡± Only a week or two had passed since Caville returned. Elody, as Caville said, was busy organizing papers every day after dinner. Because of that, she couldn¡¯t even visit the greenhouse for a few days. Elody thought she had to hurry andplete the research on the crop seeds she was studying before the princess returned. But first¡­ ¡°Come, Caville.¡± Her first priority was to y with Caville, who was still a bit childish. And, as Caville and Elody predicted, something was going on among the servants that the two had no idea about. Inside the servants¡¯ lounge¡­ A secret meeting was being held here. ¡°Did you take care of it?¡± ¡°Yes, I did.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure that we¡¯ll be able to figure it out after we pick up a few pieces¡­¡± Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha ¡°Alright. Has anyone else tried to reach out to you?¡± ¡°No. Not yet.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s prepare in advance next time.¡± ¡°Yes, next time, I will pursue those scums to the ends of the earth and find out the bastard behind all of this.¡± The words that came out of the servants¡¯ mouths were quite harsh. It was like a conversation between members of a ck organization. A few days ago, a strange guy attempted to contact the servants of the duke¡¯s mansion. The person in question didn¡¯t reveal his name or who his master was. But he had asked all of the servants gathered there if they could sell information in exchange for money. The servants noticed that he wanted information about the duchess. He offered arge sum of money, but it was not a tempting amount for the servants. They were already given an incredibly high sry from Elody. The amount he presented was not even close. Moreover, the servants had no intention of selling information about the madame to someone they did not know in the first ce. ¡°If I ept the job, will you tell me who your master is?¡± One of the servants who received the proposal asked this question, but the man refused to answer. Even Olivia, the maid who was recently contacted, tried to track him down. However, she failed to catch him because he was as agile as a rat. ¡°I think I scared him¡­ I don¡¯t know if he¡¯lle back,¡± Olivia said bluntly. She was so angry when she heard his ridiculous offer. She even started to threaten him. ¡°If you touch our duchess, I will kill you along with your family.¡± As Olivia spoke with eyes full of fury, the man got scared and ran away. ¡°No, you did a great job.¡± Marie patted Olivia on the shoulder. ¡°But¡­ I could have caught him¡­¡± ¡°If he tries to contact you again, then make sure to catch him,¡± Marie said as Olivia nodded in response. She had been suffering from depression and panic disorder for a long time, so she was one of the maids that the servants cared about the most. In fact, she had only been in the mansion for half a year. She recalled her past¡­ Olivia, like Petria, first met Elody as a defendant in court. However, unlike Petria, who had been arrested for stealing, Olivia was charged with murder. Her father brought her there on charges of murdering her older brother. Her older brother was a scoundrel who used violence against her younger brother, Olivia, and her mother. The same was true of her father. Her brother and father didn¡¯t work. Instead, they indulged themselves in alcohol and gambling. Olivia and her mother were the breadwinners of the family. And her father and brother would asionally beat them up from time to time. They were treated as nothing but puppets, whose sole purpose in life was to relieve the two men¡¯s anger and greed. Still, she endured them with her mother. It was true that she was stupid for not fighting back. But at the same time, even if she asked for help, she knew that no one woulde. Ever since Olivia was young, she had been asking for help here and there, but there was no one willing to save her and her mother. Olivia worked hard to earn money to nurse her mother, who became mute because of traumatic brain injury from constant abuse. Then one day, when Olivia came back from work, she found her mother copsed on the floor, all covered in blood. The blood drained from her face as she saw her brother kicking her poor mother, who was trembling in fear. Olivia¡¯s heart turned ice cold and slunk into the shadows as her rage tookplete control over her body. Waves of fury rolled off her as she rammed into her brother with all her might. ¡°You crazy b*tch! What the f*ck is wrong with you?! Do you want to die?¡± Seeing Olivia aggressively rebelling unlike usual, he decided to act more violent as well. Her brother looked around and grabbed arge kitchen knifeying on the countertops. Olivia immediately stepped back as her drunken brother red at her with a murderous look. She feared that she might die with her mother. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± He screamed before charging towards Olivia. Olivia desperately tried her best to stop her brother. She couldn¡¯t easily win due to their overwhelming difference in strength, but she had some upper hand against him because of his drunken state. So she mustered all of her power and pped the knife away from his hands. ¡°Arghhh!¡± When she came to her senses, the knife that had been aimed at her neck was now stuck in her brother¡¯s chest. At that time, her father, who had just entered the house, saw the scene, and grabbed Olivia¡¯s hair as he dragged her towards the duke¡¯s mansion. Olivia¡¯s mother followed her husband with her bare feet chafing against the harsh pavement. She had vowed in her heart to protect her daughter even if it meant going against a divine being. Her father asked Elody, the acting lord at that time, for summary judgment. He didn¡¯t want a full trial. He just imed that his daughter was the killer and wanted her to be punished then and there. A young girl who was shivering in fear with blood on her hands. And a drunk father who wanted her dead. And then, just like her daughter, her mother cried into her chest, unable to control her pain and fears. Elody was appalled. She heard a loud noiseing from outside, so she ordered the servants to let them in¡­ But she hadn¡¯t expected to hear this kind of thing. Elody called the knights to send them to court and they separated the man from his daughter because of his disy of violence against her. His hand kept grabbing her hair as her body swayed under his violent tug as if she was a lifeless doll. ¡°That b*tch killed my son! My son!¡± ¡°Did you witness it yourself?¡± ¡°Yes! I saw it when I came home! I saw it myself! Look at the blood on her hands! When I entered, she was holding a knife¡­ My son was¡­ a-already dead¡­!¡± The middle-aged man said while on his knees, iming that he was in despair because of his son¡¯s death. The knight in control of the man leaned over and smelled the scent of alcohol. Elody couldn¡¯t believe in the words of a drunkard. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a chance to defend yourself. Is what he¡¯s saying true?¡± Elody asked the girl. The girl, who nced at the floor, slowly nodded. ¡°Yes. I killed him.¡± ¡°See?! That tant b*tch! I don¡¯t even know why I raised a child as disgraceful as you! How dare you kill your own flesh and blood!¡± ¡°I should have killed you too¡­¡± ¡°You f*cking swine!¡± ¡±O¡­ livia¡­ ¡± The middle-aged woman, who appeared to be the girl¡¯s mother, continued to cry and shake her head. She felt sorry for her feet because it was full of wounds. Elody asked the girl again. ¡°What is your reason formitting murder?¡± ¡°¡­if I had not killed my brother, my mother would have died. I could have died too. It was self-defense¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Without hesitation, the girl began to take off her clothes. The soldiers, who saw her suddenly stripping, turned their backs on her. The only ones to see her body was Elody, her mother, and her monstrous father. Elody witnessed the horrific traces of abuse left on the girl¡¯s body. Not to mention, one of her shoulders was slightly twisted. As Elody stared at her, she remembered Count Mcire, who had often abused her. ¡°¡­My mother¡¯s wounds are worse than mine. They have abused us for a long time. The beatings were so cruel that my mother has lost her ability to speak coherently.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I ept any punishment that is given to me. I will be fine, even if you decide to behead me right now. But I will never let that devil and my mother live together again¡­ Please protect my mother. That is all I ask. So please¡­¡± The girl knelt and started begging while wearing only her underwear. ¡°It¡¯s a lie! She¡¯s spouting nothing but lies! I don¡¯t know where those wounds came from! How dare that b*tch me me!¡± The knights held on to him as he started rampaging as if he was possessed by an evil spirit. Elody descended from the tform and approached the girl lying on the floor. The proof on her body was enough for her to finalize her judgment. ¡°What is your name?¡± Elody asked, sitting with her knees bent in front of the girl. The girl replied in tears, ¡°It¡¯s Olivia¡­¡± ¡°Get up and get dressed.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± At Elody¡¯s words, the girl slowly got up and put on clothes. She thought it was time for her to redeem her sins. After the girl got dressed, she turned to her mother, who was sobbing in tears. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes traced to her mother¡¯s scarred feet. The girl bit her lips and took off her shoes. She approached her mother and gently slipped her shoes onto her bleeding feet. The knights who were watching also swallowed their breath in regret. They knew that the sentence for murder was the death penalty. Elody said to the girl looking at the floor with her shoulders shrugged. ¡°Alright, Miss Olivia. Did you mean to say that you witnessed your father killing your brother?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Wh-what is this?!¡± Olivia raised her head and blinked her eyes in shock. The man who was held by the soldiers also looked dumbfounded. Elody casually looked at the middle-aged woman behind the girl¡¯s back. ¡°The witness had directly seen the crime. And so, the user is found guilty of murder.¡± ¡°Wh-what?!¡± ¡°Thus, the offender will be sentenced to death.¡± At Elody¡¯smand, the knights immediately led the man out. ¡°N-no! You can¡¯t do this to me! You!!! It¡¯s all your fault!¡± The man shouted as the knights dragged him out. None of the knights questioned Elody¡¯s decision. It was because the man was a crook and was notorious for his criminal records within the territory. But most of all, it was also because they had put their absolute trust in Elody. It was against the regtions, but Elody did not regret her decision. ¡°Make sure you protect your mother,¡± Elody said as she held Olivia¡¯s blood-stained hand. It was a miracle for Olivia. Her brother and father had finally disappeared from her life. In addition, the duchess even hired her as a maid of the castle. She was able to stay with her mother in the building where the servants of the mansion lived. A safe space was created for her and her mother, free from violence and terrible memories. Fortunately, the servants did not feel ufortable and treated them with their utmost kindness. Everything felt like a dream. But that wasn¡¯t just it. The duchess even provided a cure for her mother¡¯s mutism. Thanks to this, her mother¡¯s condition had improved a lot, and she began to speak little by little. For that reason, Olivia felt more indebted towards Elody more than other servants. She, who had a somewhat gloomy appearance, always kept her head down and mumbled to herself every day, vowing that she would pay back Her Grace with her life. She was as devoted to the duchess as a pious saint to serving the god they believed in. The servants sometimes pretended not to see it, but they still couldn¡¯t help but feel astonished. She had shrunken shoulders, a gloomy face, and a skinny body, but her loyalty was stronger than anyone else. Therefore, she was as shocked as Marie by the news of her incurable disease. ¡°By the way. Among the knights who came back from the war, weren¡¯t there some who used to be mercenaries?¡± Tessie said in a dissatisfied voice. They all agreed andined. The reason why the servants¡¯ faces have been dark recently wasn¡¯t just because of the duchess¡¯ disease. The mercenaries were also a problem. The madame told them to be treated as kindly as possible so that they would not feel alienated, but the servants simply could not mingle with them. This was because of their arrogant attitudes of disregarding the knights that remained in the mansion. They tried to hide it, but it was seen in the eyes of the servants. And the same was true of Therion¡¯s knights who remained in the mansion. Their dislike was mutual. The cold warsted for several days among the knights. And the tension¡­ eventually exploded. ¡°Hey, you assholes. While you were ying around with the duchess, we were risking our lives in war! Y¡¯all listening? Have you ever been to a battlefield? Huh?¡± Heinz raged. Therion¡¯s knights jumped from their seats. Even the knights from the provinces who participated in the war startedining, saying that it was not true at all. They looked around and started looking for Vice Commander Brien, Sr, and Ren. However, the three were away. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Meanwhile, Therion sat still and was cleaning his gauntlets. ¡°You praise the madame very much¡­ How great she is! Oh, how beautiful she is! Yadda yadda¡ªwhat a load of crap!¡± He snorted, ¡°Don¡¯t you know that the princess ising soon? You guys will have to leave the mansion after shees, you know? She¡¯ll be the new duchess, and your precious madame will finally perish!¡± The moment Heinz finished speaking, Therion, who was watching silently, jumped up and ran towards Heinz. ¡°You son of a¡­¡± Without hesitation, he balled his fist and struck him square on his disgusting face. Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha The duke¡¯s knights were currently separated into three factions, and they were all under Brien Vedos¡¯ supervision. Brien was troubled because they constantly fought and argued, but he couldn¡¯te up with a solution to mend their rtionship. ¡®Nothing big has happened yet, so I¡¯ll just wait and see¡­¡¯ Brien thought as he sighed. But unfortunately, he spoke too soon as a bigger problem broke out. It all started with a conversation the knights had during their break. Although the knights were said to be divided into three groups, the truth was that they were only broken into two. In Heinz¡¯s brain, the knight only consisted of two groups; the pro-duchess and the anti-duchess faction. A few of the knights under Sr who participated in the war took sides with the mercenaries even after arriving at the estate. This was because of the bond they made on the battlefield. They were proud of their aplishments from winning the war as it boosted their already huge egos. Fortunately, most of them chose to side with the duchess as they had been longing for their hometown. Heinz was disappointed with them. They had fought side by side on the battlefield together, yet they changed sides so easily. ¡®I mean, she sent a 13-year-old kid to war and didn¡¯t even send a letter to him for seven years¡­¡¯ However, they seemed to have their own reasons. ¡°I heard that the duchess had sent numerous letters and supplies, but they said it was intercepted by the temple?¡± ¡°Those bastards, seriously¡­ I knew they¡¯d do this!¡± Heinz snorted at them. ¡®How could they even know if the temple actually stole her letters? How could they believe that so easily?¡¯ Honestly, it was a pretty good argument, but¡­ There was another reason as to why the knights kept praising the duchess. The duchy, which had always beencking in both infrastructure and economy, had been noticeably developed by Elody. The buildings in the downtown area had changed, and several facilities were built. It was astonishing. However, the most substantial reason was that their families became prosperous and lived healthy lives. Most of the duke¡¯s knights didn¡¯t have their own property. As servants of the lord, they did not own anynd and had to wait for the lord¡¯s orders. Because of that, most of their families were settling in small viges near the mansion. Unexpectedly, after they came back, their family were doing quite well. The farming production had increased tremendously, and the taxes were reduced by a lot. And it was all thanks to the duchess. So, even if they had ¡®bonded¡¯ with the mercenaries, they couldn¡¯t side with them because they felt indebted to the duchess. Sadly, these facts werepletely irrelevant to Heinz and his knights because they were not originally from the duchy. After all, the real anti-duchess faction was made up by Heinz and his knights. He felt irritated and betrayed, but at the same time, he could understand their circumstances as well. Nheless, the knights that remained in the duchy couldn¡¯t pass with the same excuse! They kept bragging as if they brought honor to the duchy when they didn¡¯t even participate in war! The knights who participated in the war were prideful. They had been with the young duke ever since he was neglected by the other nobles. They had ovee all sorts of shame and discrimination and led the war to victory. It was only natural for them to feel proud of themselves. However, the knights who remained in the duchy were also prideful. During those seven years, they protected the duchy without even a single incident. Unlike other territories, there were no monster attacks here. The knights steadily hunted monsters, patrolling the estates diligently, and devoted themselves to training every day in case of any incidents. They were also knights, so their families stayed in viges near the castle. Needless to say, they received a lot of help from the duchess in the process. So it was only natural for them to praise her and to feel proud of their achievements. However, their pride was insignificant to the knights Sr and Heinzmanded. The fight continued with each of the knights holding their own principles and virtues. ¡®I hate this¡­ ¡¯ After Heinz arrived at the manor, he couldn¡¯t escape the feeling of being isted. Whenever his knights, who should be treated respectfully, vented about the alienation they felt, his frustration soared to the sky. Sr¡¯s knights also didn¡¯t like how Therion and his knights were so bossy. But if the topic were about the duchess, they would not hesitate to praise her along with Therion¡¯s knights. Whenever that happened, Heinz would feel isted. It seemed that Heinz and his knights were the only ones who hated the duchess. And as thepliments increased, so did their hostility. Heinz wanted Princess Larissa to arrive as soon as possible. After the princess arrived, he wondered if Sr¡¯s knights could still praise the duchess. Heinz knew for a fact that some of Sr¡¯s knights talked about the princess and the duke as well. ¡®But now, all they do is talk about madame this, madame that¡­¡¯ They were hypocrites. At first, he was just simply irked¡­ but now, he couldn¡¯t hold his anger any longer. Therion¡¯s knights were currently bragging about their fight with monsters. ¡®Tsk! Just monsters¡­¡¯ While fighting the Empire of Urta, Heinz knights were inspected yet ignored by the wicked temple and the imperial government. There was never a day where he could sleepfortably without the anxiety of not knowing when a battle would begin. On the other hand, Therion¡¯s knights lived leisurely in the duchy, yet they dared to brag about fighting monsters¡­ ¡°So we charged at those monsters and¡­!¡± ¡°Monsters are weak. Don¡¯t spout bullsh*t¡­ ¡± One of Heinz¡¯s knights murmured, his voice purposely loud. ¡°¡­You bastard, what did you say?¡± Therion¡¯s knight replied with a threatening tone. ¡°How dare you call my knights bastards¡­?!¡± Heinz glowered while ring at Therion and his knights. At that exact moment, Heinz burst out in anger. ¡°Fighting monsters, my ass! What can you even do? Hit it with your lousy punches? You guys can¡¯t do sh*t! ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Hey, you assholes. While you were ying around with the duchess, we were risking our lives in war! Y¡¯all listening? Have you ever been to a battlefield? Huh?!¡± Heinz raged. Therion¡¯s knights jumped from their seats. Even the knights from the provinces who participated in the war startedining, saying that it was not true at all. They looked around and started looking for Vice Commander Brien, Sr, and Ren. However, the three were away. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Meanwhile, Therion sat still and was cleaning his gauntlets. ¡°You praise the madame very much¡­ How great she is! Oh, how beautiful she is! Yadda yadda¡ªwhat a load of crap!¡± He ranted, ¡°Don¡¯t you know that the princess ising soon? You guys will have to leave the mansion after shees, you know?! She¡¯ll be the new duchess, and your precious madame will finally perish!¡± The moment Heinz finished speaking, Therion, who was watching silently, jumped up and ran towards Heinz. ¡°You son of a¡­¡± Without hesitation, he balled his fist and struck him square on his face. After that, a fight broke out. But it soon ended after Brien appeared. ¡°You crazy bastards¡­ Are you out of your minds?!¡± Brien shouted. He approached Therion and Heinz, the first ones to use their fists. ¡°You guys are elite knights, and this is how you act around your subordinates?! Come with me this instant!¡± Brien said as he took them to his office. Sr could only sigh at the incident and began to scold the other remaining knights. * * * ¡°Exin to me why you guys fought.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Brien clenched his fists as the two continued to keep their mouths shut. ¡°I will not inform this to the duke. So be honest with me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± If Caville knew, it was obvious that things would get bigger. Brien vowed to handle this by himself. After returning to the estate, the duke had not been in a very good mood. He would asionallyugh and talk during their days on the battlefield¡­ But now, he had no change in facial expressions, whereas before, he would show diverse expressions about 12 times a day. He was like a man who was suffering from manic depression. So, Brien thought that it was best not to touch his nerves. ¡°Sir Heinz insulted the duchess,¡± Therion finally spoke. ¡°What?¡± Brien asked, shocked. He stared at Heinz. ¡®Is he crazy? Does he know who he¡¯s insulting?¡¯ Brien knew for sure now. Last time, when the duchess gave him her handkerchief, he realized something. The duke had shown an obsession with her handkerchief. Or rather, he was obsessed with the duchess herself. Brien was sure that he had no intention to divorce the duchess. Caville, just as he was young, still relied on his wife. For him, the duchess was his only family. In other words, she was someone that should never be touched. Heinz red daggers at Therion. ¡°Exactly¡­ He said that we were ying around with the madame while they were having a hard time in the war.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Brien was so surprised that his mouth was agape. Therion continued to speak. ¡®There¡¯s still more?¡¯ ¡°He said that the princess ising soon and we¡¯ll have to leave the mansion. He also told us that she would rece the duchess!¡± Therion fumed. ¡°¡­¡­¡± p¡ª! A p stung Heinz¡¯s cheek. ¡°¡­?!¡± Heinz red at Brien. He felt betrayed and unjust at the same time. Therion was also stunned. Brien grabbed his forehead with his hand. If this story was told to the duke¡­ Heinz, as well as himself, could be harmed. The fault of an elite knight was also the fault of the vicemander. He could be kicked out of the manor and wouldn¡¯t be able to see Marie again! Well, he couldn¡¯t see her now either as they were on bad terms, but¡­ Brien shouted at Heinz, ¡°Heinz, I will warn you. Those kinds of words should nevere out of your mouth ever again.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Heinz asked, still being rebellious. ¡°Therion. You may leave.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± At Brien¡¯s order, Therion bowed his head and went out of his office. As soon as Therion left, Heinz grumbled, ¡°Vicemander, what¡¯s wrong with what I said? Is the duchess even that special to the duke?¡± ¡°Are you still out of your mind?!¡± Brien yelled in frustration. Truthfully, Heinz was Brien¡¯s favorite knight. That¡¯s why he tolerated him even if he talked back. ¡°Never insult the duchess! Ever! Don¡¯t think even for a sec that the duke won¡¯t kill you. Do you understand what I mean?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°The duke will not hesitate to kill you. I assume that you understand what I mean?¡± Brien repeated. Heinz was forced to nod. He meant that the duchess was a very important person to the duke. So she wasn¡¯t someone he could mess around with. Heinz¡¯s right cheek was swollen and red. He felt that he was mistreated. How could the vicemander p him in front of that douche, Therion? He was outraged, but he couldn¡¯t do anything about it. Heinz decided to wait for Princess Larissa toe and let karma do the work. But before that, an unexpected event had happened to him. Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha While the knights were quarreling with each other, Elody and Caville were wandering around the market. ¡°It¡¯s changed! Wonderfully!¡± ¡°Right?¡± Just as his wife had told him, the market had improved a lot. Caville couldn¡¯t stop himself from feeling an endless stream of respect towards her. ¡°That¡¯s one of Rhondia¡¯s branches, Sirka¡¯s merchant guild. It¡¯s huge, right? He¡¯s been staying here in the duchy nowadays¡­¡± ¡°I see.¡± Caville wasn¡¯t curious about anything rted to Sirka, but he nodded hard in response. He wanted to show how immersed he could be when conversing with his wife. And so, Elody went into the merchant guild with Caville. She needed to receive a couple of documents from Sirka. However, he was not there. ording to his secretary, Sirka went to the capital to investigate the fake red pills. ¡®I thought it was already taken care of, is it not going well?¡¯ Elody was worried for some reason. She thought that the next time she met Sirka, she would have to ask him in detail. ¡°Come on, Caville.¡± ¡°Yes, wife.¡± A wide variety of shops lined the nearby streets. The two came across a stall which showcased an array of essories. ¡°Wife, look at this. I think it will look good on you.¡± Caville said as he grabbed a rose-shaped hairpin. ¡°Really?¡± Elody epted it and pinned it on her hair. ¡°Do I look good?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville paused for a moment. There was a strange, unexinable feeling in his heart. It made his heartbeat elevate, and his face felt hot. He almost hugged his wife! Unconsciously even! ¡°Or will this suit me, Caville?¡± What Elody chose was a rabbit-shaped hairpin. She thought she would look pretty cute if she pinned her bangs with this. Seeing Elody¡¯s rabbit-shaped hairpin, Cavilleughed. He was happy to see her show interest in something. Hence, Caville decided to buy all the rabbit-shaped hairpin sold at the stall. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody wanted to nag him for his excessive spending but decided to let Caville do whatever he wanted as they hadn¡¯t gone out together like this in a long while. The two went around the market a little more while eating ice cream. ¡°Caville, you¡¯ve gotten lost here before, do you remember?¡± ¡°Yes, I remember.¡± That was a traumatic experience for him. It was the first time he had ever been separated from Elody. Even after all this time, Caville still felt suffocated whenever he recalled the fear he felt that day. His body was huge, but his mind didn¡¯t change much. ¡°Oh, and I haven¡¯t told you this, but¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You know, the orphanage you lived in? When you were a kid? I went there and punished them for you.¡± Caville stared at her while blinking his eyes. He had never imagined that she would do that for him. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I promised you when I was young, remember? They¡¯re still tantly repeating the same thing. So I asked Baroness Vendos for her permission to use the barony¡¯s dungeon¡­¡± Caville carefully held Elody¡¯s fingertips without uttering a single word. ¡°Caville?¡± Caville couldn¡¯t figure out what to say. He couldn¡¯t breathe properly because he was strangely overwhelmed with countless emotions. As the younger Elody had said, the adults who harassed Caville were nothing to her. And thanks to Elody¡¯s continuous affection, all of his scars were now healed. But those memories that Caville had long forgotten had instead be an indelible wound to Elody. Caville was both grateful and sorry to her. A surge of unknown emotions filled his heart as a tear slipped down his cheeks. ¡°My wife¡­¡± ¡°¡­You don¡¯t have to say it. I understand everything.¡± Elody could see various emotions in Caville¡¯s eyes. She wanted to hug him and caress his cheeks like when she was younger, but¡­ For some reason, her hand wouldn¡¯t go there. So instead, Elody patted Caville¡¯s broad back. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville¡¯s escort, Ren, was watching the two of them and smiled proudly. The two didn¡¯t seem to have changed much since seven years ago. If there was one, it was probably the fact that the duke has be very tall, and his wife felt awkward about it. ¡®This is great.¡¯ It was nice to see the lord, who looked so cold and lonely throughout the war, expressing various emotions. Vicemander Brien and Sr said that he looked scary and strange, but Ren could definitely feel it. The duke had found stability. ¡°Your Graces. It is time to return to the mansion,¡± Ren said as he interrupted the warm moment and atmosphere the two were in, earning himself a scathing re from Caville. ¡°Let¡¯s go back, Caville.¡± ¡°Yes, wife.¡± As if he had never red at Ren, Caville smiled and held Elody¡¯s hand. The two then headed for their carriage and returned to the mansion. Then, in a moment, Elody paused and pulled out her hand from Caville¡¯s. ¡°¡­Wife?¡± ¡°Oh, no. It¡¯s just¡­ my hand feels ufortable¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± While they were touring around the market today, Elody had tried to pull out her hand from his grasp every once in a while. Caville was confused. He wondered if his wife was still rejecting him. But that wasn¡¯t the reason. Elody couldn¡¯t hide her worries whenever she felt the numbness in her fingertips. She didn¡¯t want Caville to know. All day long, the senses of her fingertips kept disappearing as it hardened like stone. The problem was that she had not been able to drink the herbal tea with dried stalks frequently. The herbal tea was supposed to be consumed daily, while the medicinal leaf tea, the one she made from the ¡®Herb of Salvation¡¯, was drunk once a month. For the next few years, she would have to keep doing this procedure steadily in order to cure her diseasepletely. ¡®It will be okay¡­¡¯ Elody didn¡¯t think of it as a big deal. The day when she had to drink, the medicinal leaf tea was approaching anyways. * * * The next day¡­ Like yesterday, the weather was sunny. Elody had stopped by the greenhouse with Marie since morning and was now returning to the mansion. Suddenly, she ran into Therion. ¡°Sir Therion?! What¡¯s wrong?¡± Elody asked, wide-eyed at the bruises on his face. Marie also looked at him with a stunned expression. He had a busted lip as if someone had punched him. ¡°Madame¡­¡± Therion shrugged, scratching the back of his head and lowered his head. Elody looked at him with an anxious expression. ¡°Is there enough medicine left in the barracks? Do you want me to have a servant send it to you?¡± ¡°N-no, that¡¯s alright. There¡¯s plenty of medicine left. Thank you for worrying though, madame.¡± Therion let out a shy smile after hearing her kind words. ¡°How did you get hurt?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± However, it was difficult for him to answer that question. ¡°D-during training, I guess¡­¡± Elody thought that the knights were doing hand-to-handbat training. ¡®Otherwise, why would they have a fight?¡¯ Though, it wasn¡¯t any of her business anyway¡­ ¡°That must have hurt a lot. Make sure you treat the wound well,¡± Elody said, smiling. As she was about to leave, Therion called out to her. ¡°M-madame!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Elody turned around. ¡°¡­Uh, nevermind. I apologize.¡± Therion quickly bowed his head and ran straight to the knight¡¯s headquarters. He wanted to ask if her generous actions were solely given to him. He also wanted to ask why she was so kind. But he couldn¡¯t¡­ because it was a presumptuous question. ¡°Hmm¡­ Madame, Sir Therion is suspicious, right?¡± Marie, who was standing next to Elody the whole time, asked while poking her at the waist. ¡°What? Ah! That¡¯s right. Now that I think about it, Lord Vedos also had a nosebleed¡­ Is there something wrong with the knights?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡®I was the one who did that.¡¯ Marie turned her body around, ying dumb. Then, Elody grabbed hold of her arm. ¡°Oh, well. Let¡¯s just take a walk in the garden.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯d like that, madame.¡± Elody headed to the garden and brought out another topic. ¡°Have you spoken about your marriage to Sir Vedos?¡± Marie decided to answer honestly. ¡°¡­Yes. I¡¯m sorry to disappoint you, but I don¡¯t think I can marry him anymore.¡± ¡°Why? Did you guys fight?¡± Marie replied, hesitantly at Elody¡¯s grievance. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ he¡¯s too old, just like madame said. I¡¯d like to meet a young husband. Like you, madame!¡± Elodyughed at her jokes. ¡°How sweet¡­ though, I¡¯m very sorry about you and Sir Vedos. I guess it can¡¯t be helped. Shall we search for potential marriage candidates? How about we start from the pages?¡± ¡°¡­Madame.¡± Pages. At age 7-13, a boy could be considered as a page. He would be sent off to a lord¡¯s castle and be a servant to the lord as he learned the code of chivalry and practiced fighting skills. If she got a page to be her boyfriend, they would be 19 years apart! ¡°What? They¡¯re young just like you asked¡­ Plus, they should be around ten years old, it¡¯s perfect!¡± ¡°Pfft¡ª!¡± Elody definitely seeded in cracking Marie up. They continued to stroll the garden arm in arm whilst exchanging jokes with each other. Meanwhile, there were people who had been quietly observing the twodies¡­ ¡®Ah, I¡¯m so jealous¡­¡¯ The person who was looking at them from the first-floor window was Sylvia, a maid who was very fond of Elody. Sylvia was the maid who first noticed Elody¡¯s incurable disease and informed it to the servants. ¡®I want to walk with her arm in arm too¡­¡¯ Sylvia¡¯s dream was to walk with her, arms folded, just like what she did with Marie. She genuinely wanted Elody to treat her like a real sister¡­ Of course, if Sylvia asked her for a walk, the affectionate duchess would undoubtedly say yes. Unfortunately, Sylvia had trouble speaking properly. The poor maid kept trembling whenever the duchess was in front of her, and it caused her to jumble up her words. In another ce¡­ ¡®I envy her¡­¡¯ Unexpectedly, Olivia was also watching Elody and Marie from the second floor of the mansion. ¡®I want to link arms with the madame too¡­¡¯ Olivia also had a desire to have a sister-like rtionship with the duchess. However, since she had already received a lot from her, she decided not to be greedy. Still, she couldn¡¯t help but feel envious of Marie. ¡®I shall protect her¡­¡¯ If necessary, Olivia was even ready to stain her hands with blood once again. Olivia¡¯s eyes shone with joy. s, thest observer¡­ It was Caville. Caville had been staring at Elody and Marie gloomily through the third-floor window. ¡®I want to cross arms with my wife too¡­ ¡® Caville was sad. At first, he thought that she hated him, but that was definitely not it. ¡®Then, does she like me?¡¯ He wasn¡¯t sure about that, too. Sometimes, she seemed to like him the way she used to, but at other times, she looked ufortable with him. Caville was in great trouble. He needed someone¡¯s advice. But he couldn¡¯t ask idiots like Brien, Ren, Sr, or Heinz. The only person he could talk to was his wife. However, he couldn¡¯t ask for advice from his wife when the topic was concerning her! ¡°Haa¡­¡± As Caville breathed out a huge sigh, a savior came to his rescue. ¡°What are you worrying about?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± It was none other than the Spirit King of Fire. The almighty Ifrit! Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha ¡°Why do you care?¡± Caville groaned as he turned his head. With a heavy sigh, he began to ponder about his wife. He got to spend time with her yesterday. However¡­ Every time Elody pulled out her hand from his grasp, Caville felt broken inside. When that happened, heughed so that it wouldn¡¯t ruin the mood¡­ But in reality, he wanted to cry. Caville couldn¡¯t think of any other reason for Elody¡¯s behavior. He thought that it was because of the brute demeanor he had identally shown to his wife when he aimed his sword at those vassals. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have done that¡­¡¯ He was a swordmaster, so he didn¡¯t think of it as anything serious. But it was different for his wife. Caville deeply reflected on the notion that he was inconsiderate of his wife. However, he couldn¡¯t help but feel sad and upset about it. Seeing Caville¡¯s gloomy countenance, Ifrit spoke, ¡°Why is your expression like that? Did you get rejected by your wife?¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Caville looked at Ifrit in amazement. ¡®How did he know?¡¯ ¡°Wait, am I right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville¡¯s face disyed his unhappiness as his lips thinned into a line. Ifritughed at him, but then regained hisposure. ¡°Ahem! I, Ifrit, the Great Spirit King, will take his precious time to listen to your concerns.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s a bit¡­¡± Caville stopped his words. Truthfully, he didn¡¯t have anyone else to talk to. Ifrit was the only one who could listen to his problems. He didn¡¯t like it, but in any case, Ifrit was someone who had been with him like a best friend throughout the entire war. Caville hated him forughing at his expense, but he decided to give him a chance. ¡°My wife¡­ I think she¡¯s still ufortable with me.¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s only been a week since you came back after seven years.¡± ¡°¡­But I¡¯m not ufortable with my wife.¡± ¡°Gosh, you seriously don¡¯t know anything.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville¡¯s pride was hurt. He didn¡¯t want to hear that from Ifrit. ¡°So, do you want her to not be ufortable with you?¡± Ifrit said. Caville pondered for a while. ¡°I¡­ I want my wife to love me like she used to. I want her to think of me as cute!¡± Caville wanted Elody to act lovey-dovey with him and pamper him, just like when they were children. If that actually happened, there was nothing else left for him to desire. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Ifrit stared at Caville with a worried expression. ¡®This guy is still not aware of his own heart.¡¯ As expected, he should step up in this matter before it gets worse. Ifrit decided to listen to Caville¡¯s concerns whole-heartedly. ¡°So all you want is to be called cute?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, is there something wrong?¡± Caville asked, confused. Ifrit clicked his tongue at his obliviousness. ¡°You¡­ Have you seen how your wife acts around me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m cute too.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Caville widened his eyes in shock. It was true. Elody was very sweet to Ifrit since he was an adorable puppy. The little ball of red fur was so cute that she couldn¡¯t resist hugging and patting his fur. Caville became annoyed whenever he recalled the memory. ¡°Geez, husbands aren¡¯t supposed to be cute.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°You cannot look cute. Do you still think of yourself as a ten-year-old? You have to show her a different side of yourself. A different look!¡± ¡°What kind of look?¡± Caville didn¡¯t ignore Ifrit. Instead, he was a bit impatient to hear his response. ¡°You¡¯re manly side, of course! Guys are supposed to be manly since they¡¯re not cute anymore once they grow up. You do know that, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ifrit¡¯sment struck Caville hard. He simply couldn¡¯t refute. ¡°And your wife seems to like all cute things. Do you want to be treated the same way?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t.¡± Caville buried his face in his palm. He was confused and flustered. Looking at his somber countenance, Ifrit spoke in a tone that made him sound trustworthy. ¡°Okay, so what you want to pursue is your wife¡¯s heart and attention. Am I correct?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s right.¡± Caville raised his head and looked at Ifrit. Now, his trust in Ifrit seemed to be growing. He honestly felt terrible, but there was nothing wrong with Ifrit¡¯s words. He was no longer a child, and he wasn¡¯t as small and cute as when he was young. Moreover, he didn¡¯t want to be treated the same way as other cute things. He wanted his wife to treat him differently from others. He wanted to feel¡­ special. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ifrit stared at Caville. He knew everything about Caville now. On the battlefield, Ifrit was the only person that Caville could confide in. They grew closer to each other because they had always spent time alone together unless they were in battle. So Ifrit secretly regarded Caville as his brother. ¡®He¡¯s pretty nasty, but thanks to him, I regained my holy powers so¡­¡¯ Of course, Caville wasn¡¯t his benefactor. His benefactor was someone else. In any case, he had the desire to take care of Caville like a younger brother. In the eyes of Ifrit, Caville was an ignorantly naive and straightforward guy. Even after reaching adulthood, his innocent side still remained, especially when it came to gender issues. And in this world, there was no one else that mattered to him more than his wife. He was still not aware of his feelings¡­ but it seemed like it would be better to let him realize that feeling first. Ifrit spoke loudly with confidence, ¡°You¡¯re of age now. It¡¯s perfect!¡± ¡°¡­And why is that?¡± Once again, Caville stared at Ifrit suspiciously. ¡°Why? I¡¯m telling you to show your wife your manly side! Are you still at the age to frown like when you were a kid? How long are you going to hide behind your wife¡¯s skirt?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Your wife should be able to lean on you when she¡¯s in trouble. So you have to show her how reliable you are!¡± ¡°¡­How?¡± Caville asked softly. ¡°Your abs,¡± Ifrit said, very confidently. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Show your abs. A man¡¯s dignity is his abs.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± That¡¯s nonsense. Caville nced at Ifrit, creasing his eyebrows. ¡°You¡¯re not a shabby and weak child anymore. Therefore, you must show her that your body has be hard and strong. Do you understand? ¡®I wasn¡¯t shabby and weak¡­ How annoying.¡¯ Caville wanted to point out, but he calmly asked, ¡°¡­What if my wife thinks it¡¯s disgusting?¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible. I don¡¯t like you, but¡­ if I were to grade your looks, I would give it an A+.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville looked at Ifrit with an unpleasant expression. He felt somewhat ufortable. ¡°Trust me. You won¡¯t regret it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t want to do it, it¡¯s your loss,¡± Ifrit snorted. As he was about to leave, Caville stopped him and asked anxiously, ¡°T-then! Will my wife like me?¡± ¡°¡­You just want her to like you?¡± If he did well, his wife might even do more than just simply like him! Ifrit cheered for Caville in his heart. He knew that he could do it. Ifrit told Caville to show his abs. So he decided to try it. With that in mind, Caville was finally ready for the main battle. * * * At that time, Elody was in the greenhouse with Anna. Elody was nting a new type of seed. It was wheat, something that she had recently studied. ¡°Will it take a few months to see the effects, madame?¡± Anna asked. ¡°I suppose so.¡± Since she had used fertilizers, the growth period should take less than the amount of time it usually did. Unfortunately, it seemed that Elody might not finish her research here in time before she left. ¡°Madame. Are you tired or sick?¡± Anna finally gathered the courage to ask. ¡°No, why?¡± ¡°¡­Nothing. I was just curious if you were sick¡­¡± ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m a person who doesn¡¯t even catch a cold. Anna, you should eat red pills regrly too.¡± ¡®How is she so good at lying¡­¡¯ Anna bit her lips in regret. However, it was true that Elody was not sick. She was self-diagnosed with an incurable disease, but she didn¡¯t feel pain at all. It was just a bit of a nuisance sometimes. ¡°¡­Madame, we will check the growth of the seeds together in a few months, right?¡± Anna said, holding back tears. Elody hesitated for a moment and then nodded her head. But because of that brief hesitation, Anna almost cried. Lately, the servants had been anxious. They became even more sensitive because they were afraid that the duchess would leave this world soon¡­ In their eyes, the madame was like a reed amongst a dangerous hurricane that didn¡¯t know when to fall. But in this case, they didn¡¯t want the wind to sweep her away¡­ ¡°I have to meet Caville now. He told me to see him soon¡­¡± ¡°Yes, madame.¡± When Elody left, Anna¡¯s tears slipped down from her cheeks, and as she wiped them away, the young maid followed her to the mansion. * * * ¡°Caville?¡± From today onwards, Elody was nning to hand over her work to Caville. She actually nned to leave as soon as Caville came home with the princess, but she was unexpectedly given a little more time. Elody decided to leave after exining the duty of a duke in as much detail as possible to Caville. However, Caville wasn¡¯t in the office. When Elody asked a servant, they told her that he had gone to the bedroom just a little while ago. Elody headed towards the bedroom, wondering if Caville had fallen asleep. She didn¡¯t have much time, so she wanted to teach it to him quickly. Knock-knock. Elody carefully opened the door. She spent thest seven years alone in that bedroom, but it had now be Caville¡¯s room. She wanted him to stay in a room that he was familiar with, so she moved to another room instead. It might seem trivial, but Elody wanted to be as considerate as possible. ¡°My wife.¡­.¡± However, when she opened the door, Caville was lying in bed with a towel on his forehead. ¡°Caville. Are you sick?¡± Elody was startled and approached Caville. ¡°¡­I guess¡­ I¡¯m sick.¡± Caville nced at Elody. ording to Ifrit¡¯s advice, he should strip off and stay naked. So, he was only covered with a nket on his chest. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to have a fever¡­¡± Elody said as she touched Caville¡¯s forehead. Suddenly, Caville¡¯s naked torso came into her sight. Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha ¡°¡­..¡± Elody stood there frozen and bit her lips. Caville stared at her nervously as he hid his brimming anticipation. ¡°Wife¡­?¡± All of a sudden, Elody slowly pulled down the nket that covered his entire body. At her unexpected behavior, Caville became puzzled. Ifrit told him that she would slightly blush andugh shyly around him when she saw his abs. But¡­ ¡°Caville¡­¡± Elody was crying. Caville was surprised when tears began to drip from her eyes. He truly didn¡¯t expect that kind of reaction from her. Elody slowly raised her hands and touched the wounds on his right chest. It was the knife scar he had gotten shortly after he had arrived on the battlefield. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody stared at Caville¡¯s wounds. His body was marred with gashes. There were so many scars that Elody could no longer count. How painful it must have been, Elody felt like her heart was being crushed. ¡®It must have been so painful¡­¡¯ Elody sympathized with his suffering. And Caville¡­ ¡®No¡­ This isn¡¯t what I wanted.¡¯ He gazed out of the window, searching for Ifrit, with a vain expression. ¡®That idiot!¡¯ Suddenly¡­ ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Wait a minute, wife!¡± Elody touched Caville¡¯s wounds. Caville jolted as his face flushed red in an instant. ¡°Ah, did that hurt? I¡¯m sorry, Caville.¡± ¡°Oh, no, wife. That¡¯s not it. It¡¯s just kinda¡­ itchy. I guess¡­¡± He felt strange. Caville bit his lips and averted his gaze. It was difficult to look straight into his wife¡¯s eyes. Elody stared at Caville and asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask the priest to heal you?¡± Her voice was filled with sorrow. ¡°¡­That wound¡­¡± Truth to be told, Caville didn¡¯t want to show his body to the priests. He didn¡¯t want them to over dramatize his injuries. So he chose to stay quiet. He didn¡¯t care if his wife saw his body, but he would never show it to others. ¡°¡­It must have hurt a lot.¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay, wife.¡± Each time Caville got hurt, he forced himself to bear the pain. Of course, it was painful. But as he got more and more wounds, the pain gradually lessened. However, the wounds in his heart were much more difficult to mend as he had longed for his wife for a long time. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville pulled the nket to cover his upper body. ¡°My wife, please stop crying.¡± He couldn¡¯t hug her, but he genuinely felt sorry for his wife. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, where did you say it hurts? I¡¯ll bring you medicine.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Actually, I was faking this whole time,¡± Caville said with a smile stered on his face. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ifrit¡¯s strategy was aplete failure. Caville pledged not to listen to that red fur ball anymore. * * * After a while, Ifrit came through the window and walked to Caville, sitting on the sofa. ¡°Hey, how did it go?¡± Ifrit asked. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville¡¯s re was like a beast waiting for his prey. Suddenly, he captured Ifrit in his arms. ¡°What?! Why are you doing this?!¡± Ifrit struggled to break free, but his grip was too strong. ¡°I won¡¯t believe in you anymore!¡± Ifrit¡¯s intuition told him to run, but unfortunately, he was already caught, so he couldn¡¯t escape. ¡°¡­Did it fail? Then it¡¯s your fault, not mine.¡± ¡°I will never trust you again!¡± ¡°What? Why?! How could it possibly fail?! That makes zero sense!¡± Ifrit could never believe that the power of abs didn¡¯t work. Caville finally gave up and put Ifrit down. And so, Caville confessed everything to Ifrit. ¡°She was crying?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡®Why was she crying¡­?¡¯ Ifrit swallowed a lump in his throat. He wanted to ask more, but he was afraid of losing his life. If he said something wrong or insulted his wife, Caville would not hesitate to cut off his tail! In any case, his benefactor had a strange side to him. Caville spoke in a dissatisfied voice, ¡°I¡¯m not going to listen to your advice anymore. My heart cannot bear the pain of seeing my wife¡¯s tears.¡± ¡°¡­Well, whatever,¡± Ifrit responded, unempathetic. ¡°Is that all? Aren¡¯t you going tofort me? After making my wife cry?¡± ¡°Well, what do you want me to do? You won¡¯t listen to me anyway, right?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± Caville¡¯s shoulders slumped forward in disappointment. Ifrit clicked his tongue. ¡®Weakling¡­¡¯ However, Ifrit felt bad because he looked really sad. Ifrit said bluntly, ¡°Just¡­ let it go. Live as you are now.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Because your wife seems to see you as a flower in full bloom¡­ Just keep pretending to be weak¡­. Show off your charms. The day when she finally notices you wille someday.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I mean, keep pretending to be weak so that your wife will continue to take care of you. That would be more likely.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville pledged not to trust Ifrit¡¯s words a while ago, but his ears immediately perked up. He felt that everything would be different this time. The next day, Caville approached his wife with a new strategy. As Ifrit said, this time, he pretended to be sick. The result was a jackpot! Elody took care of Caville without leaving him just like he was young. But Caville felt that something was missing. The more he pretended to act weak, the more Elody didn¡¯t see him as a man. What that feeling meant, Caville hadn¡¯t been able toprehend. Now Caville was not aware of his own mind. He was just a young husband who wanted his wife¡¯s attention. And while nursing Caville, Elody¡­ ¡®Caville is still a baby.¡¯ Became less conscious of him. ¡®I guess my parenting duty is not over yet,¡¯ she thought. * * * Caville¡¯s outstanding performance ended in one day. It was because Elody gave him a medicine that could immediately cure amon fever. The next day, Caville began taking over Elody¡¯s work. The duty of a duke was moreplicated than he expected. It was easier to wield a sword and to fight enemies in war. ¡°This is tough¡­ I¡¯m sorry for letting you struggle alone, wife.¡± Caville¡¯s affectionate words made Elody feel that her effort over all these years wasn¡¯t in vain. She stroked Caville¡¯s head and spoke, ¡°You¡¯ve had it harder than me, Caville. You¡¯re a hero now. I¡¯m sure everyone is proud of you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville smiled proudly. Two days ago, their rtionship went back to normal after Caville showed off his wounds and pretended to be sick. His wife became morefortable around him. Though, he had never thought that Elody¡¯s kindness was the same as a parent¡¯s love for their children. Still, Caville liked his affectionate wife. * * * Late afternoon the next day¡­ After giving Caville a bunch of work, Elody spent the whole day alone doing research in the greenhouse and theb. The maids were also prevented from entering because she needed to focus on research. Unfortunately, this caused the maids to experience a few anxious moments as they loitered around the greenhouse to wait for the madame toe out. ¡°Madame¡­ But, if you¡¯re alone. What if something happens¡­?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think anything will happen¡­ I¡¯m just doing some research in the greenhouse, and I really need to study quietly by myself this time. So you may go back to the mansion and rest. Alright?¡± ¡°¡­Madame¡­¡± Disappointed, Anna returned to the mansion. After she left, Elody looked outside a few more times in case someone was still there. Her study was a safe and secluded ce. However, there was another reason as to why she was extra careful this time. It was because today was the day for her to drink the medicine from the Salvation Herb. Elody pulled out a barrel from the storage that was filled with dried red leaves. Then, she boiled water and added the dried tea leaves. The tea had a unique and robust scent. ¡°Mm¡­ splendid.¡± It was a bit bitter, but she was now used to it as she had grown fond of the taste. Elody lifted the teacup and took a drink of her tea. The thicker the tea was, the faster she coughed out blood. It was better to do it immediately after drinking her tea than to wait until a few dayster and get caught off guard. And today, Elody brewed her tea darker than usual. She wanted to cure her disease as quickly as possible and return to the mansion without causing any suspicion. After drinking the tea, she carefully set the ss back on the table and had her handkerchief ready. However, no matter how long she waited, her fit of coughs did not appear. And as time passed by, her anxiety began to grow. ¡°I hope it doesn¡¯t take too long¡­¡± Elody spoke to herself while trembling with anxiety. Fortunately, the side effects came after a while. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± She felt a burning sensation inside her throat¡­ But then¡­ ¡°Madame?¡± Someone¡¯s voice was heard from outside theb. ¡°Madame, I¡¯ming in! Anna told me to bring in snacks¡­¡± It was Sylvia. Elody jumped up from her chair, looked around, and ran to the greenhouse. ¡®I have to hide!¡¯ ¡°Madame¡­?¡± After a while, Sylvia opened the door and looked inside the emptyb. ¡®Is she in the greenhouse?¡¯ Elody trembled with anxiety when she heard Sylvia opening the door and entering theb. There was nowhere to hide in the greenhouse. Beyond that thin door was theb where Sylvia was. ¡°Cough-cough!¡± Then, her cough began toe out. Elody stopped coughing and covered her mouth with a handkerchief. The white handkerchief was gradually stained with red-crimson blood. ¡°Madame! Are you in the greenhouse?¡± Elody immediately headed for the back door of the greenhouse. It was dangerous to go outside, but she had no other choice. ¡®The back door!¡¯ Beyond the back door was an empty backyard that only had onerge tree. No one usually went there. Elody quickly opened the door and rushed outside. Then she ran to the back of the tree and started coughing. ¡°Cough-cough!¡± She was seized with a violent cough as she had been holding it back for some time. Her eyes stung with tears. It was painful. But¡­ she didn¡¯t even dream that someone would be sitting behind that tree. Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha Sylvia looked at the empty greenhouse and tilted her head. ¡°Where is the madame? Did she go back to the mansion?¡± She carefully scanned the room, but both the greenhouse andboratory were empty. ¡®I thought I heard something¡­¡¯ She wanted to get closer to the madame by talking with her alone¡­ Sylvia became grim and headed back to the mansion with the snacks she had brought. Meanwhile¡­ ¡°Cough-cough!¡± Elody was holding onto arge tree and vomiting like crazy. She bled more than usual. It was impossible to cover the blood with a single handkerchief. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± After a while, she stopped vomiting, and Elody looked to see if there were any blood sshes on her clothes. Fortunately, there was none. Though, only on Elody¡¯s clothes¡­ ¡°¡­¡­¡± Someone else was sitting at the back of the tree, and his outfit was sttered with Elody¡¯s blood. Once their gazes met, Elody bounced back out of shock and dropped her bloody handkerchief to the ground. The man¡¯s eyes were also filled with confusion. ¡°¡­¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t remember his name, but his face was very familiar. He was one of the knights that came with Caville. He was a man with short gray hair and tanned skin. ¡°Ah¡­ um, I deeply apologize. May I know your name, Sir¡­?¡± To Elody¡¯s question, the knight slowly responded, ¡°¡­Heinz.¡± * * * A few days ago, after fighting with Therion, both knights were on probation. However, the two did not reflect. Whenever they met, they intensely red at each other as if they had a centuries-long blood feud between them. Thanks to that, the mood among the knights was quite chaotic. And because of Heinz¡¯s audacious remarks, all of Sr¡¯s knights sided with Therion. Thanks to this, Heinz¡¯s knights, who were former mercenaries, had bepletely isted. Heinz was constantlyining. He thought he could finally settle down and live with the proper treatment he deserved after his contributions to the war if he followed the leader to the manor¡­ The facilities and environment werefortable, but his heart was empty. His subordinates felt the same. That being said, he couldn¡¯tin. After all, they were enjoying the most rxing time of their lives. Of course, he felt grateful. But¡­ Still. Didn¡¯t he deserve to be treated more respectfully than those like Therion who stayed in the estate? Sr and her knights also agreed with his opinion. However, the vicemander dismissed it as utter nonsense. And it was impossible for him toin to the leader. He was indebted to him. The leader was the man who gave honor to Heinz and his men. There had also been many times when the leader saved his life. He couldn¡¯t confide with such childish matters to the leader. Furthermore, he probably wouldn¡¯t even listen to it in the first ce¡­ ¡®Even so, the leader does cherish us more, right?¡¯ Heinz tried tofort himself. Still, it was a little sad that the vicemander pped him on the cheek. Scratch that, he was very sad. Even if he did start the fight first, to p him in front of that douchebag Therion¡­ He hated the vicemander after that, and he hated the duchess even more. He thought that she was actually the source of all this. His men were worried about him, but Heinz wanted to be alone. So, that day, he was taking a stroll alone. Then, he lost energy and sat behind arge tree next to the greenhouse where no one was there. ¡®Madame this, madame that¡­ Just wait until the princesses!¡¯ He wasining and watching the squirrels passed by when¡­ He heard someone coughing and spilling blood all over his shoulder. ¡®What?¡¯ Heinz¡¯s irritated look was now struck with shock. The duchess was vomiting blood right behind him. ¡°Sir Heinz. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you¡­. I apologize, I couldn¡¯t greet you properly at the banquet because of the vassals,¡± Elody said after wiping the blood off her mouth, ¡°¡­¡­¡± Then she took out a new handkerchief from inside her pockets and reached out to Heinz¡¯s shoulder. ¡°¡­!¡± At that moment, Heinz fell back in surprise. He seemed really surprised. Heinz jumped up, biting his lips, ashamed of losing hisposure. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sir Heinz¡­ Your clothes got dirty because of me¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right¡­¡± Heinz epted Elody¡¯s handkerchief with trembling hands. Then he stared at his right shoulder and arm that was stained with blood. ¡®I have a lot of questions¡­ ¡® Elody was confused and worried. She didn¡¯t even think that someone would catch her! And it wasn¡¯t even someone she knew well¡­ It was the first time she had ever conversed with the knight. ¡°¡­Is it ¡®Siren¡¯s Tears¡¯?¡± Heinz asked as he wiped the blood with her handkerchief, raising one eyebrow. ¡°What?¡± Elody was confused and only blinked. ¡®Siren¡¯s Tears¡¯ was an incurable disease that many people living on the beach usually get. Indeed, the symptoms were simr to the side effects of the Salvation Herb. Elody knew this because she had read a lot of books while studying for her incurable disease. The ¡®Siren¡¯s Tears¡¯ could be healed if treated early with divine power, but if not, then it could cause death. Therefore, it was ssified as an incurable disease. Though the name was like that, ording to Elody¡¯s research, the disease had nothing to do with the beach. But that wasn¡¯t the case, and it would take too long for her to exin the facts in great detail. What was she supposed to say? ¡®Actually, I have an incurable disease, but it is not the ¡®Siren¡¯s Tears¡¯. I don¡¯t know the name of my illness. But I¡¯ve found the antidote for it, and it was the salvation herb I have discovered. Unfortunately, the side effects of the medicine caused me to vomit blood uncontrobly like this¡­¡¯ ¡®¡­¡­¡¯ No one would ever believe her¡­ Plus, she had no time to exin everything to him. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ please keep it a secret. Sir Heinz.¡± Elody stared at him with a desperate look on her face. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Heinz frowned as if he was annoyed. ¡°Just pretend you didn¡¯t see it. Pretend that nothing has happened today. Please, I beg of you, Sir Heinz.¡± Heinz was dumbfounded. He expected the duchess to be arrogant and cold, but she was actually polite. ¡°Please, please¡­ No one should ever know.¡± Elody was desperate. She had a headache imagining how annoying it would be if people knew. Once a month, she had to deal with it by herself, just like what she did now. ¡°¡­Alright.¡± ¡°Really, really? You shall never say¡­¡± ¡°I always keep my word,¡± Heinz said, frowning a little. His words seemed lousy, but he didn¡¯t look like a person who would lie. Elody sighed in relief. It would be troublesome if someone else came. ¡°Thank you. Please do me this favor, Sir Heinz.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± After making sure and asking him several more times, Elody opened the door to the greenhouse and went back in. Then, she walked to the sink in the corner of the greenhouse, wiped the blood on her hands, and washed her blood-stained handkerchief. ¡®Ah, my other handkerchief¡­ ¡® It urred to her that she handed Lord Heinz a new handkerchief and forgot to get it back. It would be strange if she went back there just to ask for the handkerchief back. Elody sighed. ¡®I should¡¯ve locked the door¡­ ¡¯ There were locks in the greenhouse andb. She had locked Sylvia out of the way, but she didn¡¯tpletely lock her out in fear that more servants woulde. She avoided that situation but was caught by an unfamiliar knight. Elody was confused about whether it would be better to be caught by the knight or if it would have been better for people to flock around the greenhouse and knock on the door. * * * ¡°Captain, no, Sir Heinz. Are you injured? That blood¡­.¡± ¡°This is¡­ I got caught in a tree and tore my shoulder. It¡¯s just a small wound.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lot of blood for a small wound¡­¡± Then, Heinz headed to his room. The average knights shared a room with two other people. Each room had its own bathroom; a shower, a sink, and a toilet. It was an incredibly good facility. Furthermore, an elite knight room wasrger and had better amodation. As a mercenary, he spent his whole life wandering for seven years on the battlefield. He thought he would be happy as long as he had a house with a roof, but such a luxurious ce¡­ When he first saw the lodge, Heinz only thought it was a dream. However, as of today, he had no longer ogled at hisvish room. Heinz looked down at the white handkerchief he held in his hand. He was annoyed. ¡®I never thought I¡¯d run into the Duchess there¡­ How unfortunate.¡¯ Well, he heard that the greenhouse belonged to the duchess. Heinzughed, thinking that even her hobby was very extravagant. But she was suffering from a deadly disease¡­? Though if he thought about it, it was better this way. The duchess would soon die. Then, the leader and the princess could get married without any obstacles. As Heinz himself had wished. But¡­ ¡®Why do I feel so ufortable?¡¯ His bloody shoulders had been wiped with cold water. But even after wiping it, his skin felt somewhat¡­ hot, like it was burning. ¡®It¡¯s not an infectious disease, is it¡­?¡¯ The duchess¡¯ illness was obviously the ¡®Siren¡¯s Tears¡¯. The disease that caused one to vomit blood uncontrobly. ¡®Damn it¡­¡¯ And long ago, Heinz¡¯s sister also died of the disease. It was when Heinz was very young. It was a disease that could be cured if found in the early stages, but if one discovered it toote. It was irreversible. Her sister only knew of the disease when it reached the point where she could no longer be treated with medicine nor divine power. No, she did know it from the very beginning. But she hid it because they didn¡¯t have money. Earning money was more important than drinking expensive medicine. And in the end, his sister died of blood loss. After the loss of his only family, Heinz became a wandering mercenary. Now he had earned enough money to get a cure, but his sister was already dead. The duchess, on the other hand, had a ton of money. So why was she¡­? ¡®She couldn¡¯t have known of the diseasete, could she?¡¯ Unless she were stupid¡­ she would have started the treatment immediately. But now, with such a severe injury, she would never be able to cure it with medicine or divine power. It was clear that she would die soon. Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha Heinz¡¯s eyes scrunched tight as he slouched in annoyance. The duchess would have to endure it for a while longer, probably for about several months. Or maybe she would even die before the princess arrives. He was delighted about the fact that the duchess would soon die. But¡­ ¡®Is it really something I should be happy about?¡¯ Heinz had thought about it, but honestly, the duchess hadn¡¯t really done anything to him. He was confused. After washing his face with cold water to relieve his frustration, he saw several of his knights drinking in the lounge on the first floor. Heinz approached them and took a ss of beer and gulped it all down. ¡°Captain, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Without the presence of anyone else, Heinz¡¯s men would still call him captain. Heinz just kept drinking without giving back an answer. The knights eventually left him alone and started chatting among themselves. ¡°Speaking of which, the duchess. Doesn¡¯t she look over the top? She looks more opulent than the princess! ¡°Hey, the princess looked shabby only because she ran away. She¡¯s undoubtedly much better than the duchess!¡± ¡°I know, you idiot! Anyway, the princess was beautiful even though she was wearing rags. Wasn¡¯t she?¡± Listening to his knights, Heinz recalled the appearance of the duchess whom he had seen at the banquet. Surely the jewelry and gown she was wearing were incredibly gorgeous. ¡®Did she dress luxuriously to hide her illness?¡¯ In truth, the real reason behind hervish appearance was because of Marie. But that reason was something that only Elody and Marie knew. Heinz believed that the reason he thought was right. ¡°Damn it¡­¡± The alcohol tasted exceptionally bitter that day. * * * Hesium, the capital of the Empire of Heklos. Emperor Albrecht was the one who greatly benefited from the war. Not only did the war against the Urta Empire ended in victory, but the empire seeded in acquiring a lot of the other territories as well. This was all thanks to the Duke of Cernoir, the hero who led the war to victory but did not demand ownership of anynd at all. Unfortunately, the capital became very noisy due to the problem of dividing the territory with the Empire of Urta. The emperor wanted to divide Urta¡¯s territory and award it to his most trusted ally, the marquess. However, the Duke of Ibelin in the north and the Duke of Rehos in the east wanted to im ownership of a few territories as well. ¡®What did they even do¡­?¡¯ Of course, they also participated in the war, but their efforts weren¡¯t enough to be rewarded with a wholend. In the meantime, Emperor Albrecht temporarily ruled over the Dayev Empire. Princess Larissa had personally asked for it. ¡®How unusual¡­¡¯ The emperor allowed her to return to her empire. However, Princess Larissa chose to stay in the Empire of Heklos for the time being. Apparently, she was threatened by the Urtans for a long time and was scared toe back because the Prince of Urta had not been found yet. He was still out there somewhere. And so, Larissa temporarily handed over the ownership of her empire to the emperor until the situation in the territory was stabilized. Emperor Albrecht was filled with joy. ¡®I can earn a lot of gold¡­¡¯ The Empire of Dayev was famous for producing gold. The emperor nned to collect as much gold as possible while temporarily ruling thend. On the surface, Emperor Albrecht pretended to cherish and wee the princess, but in truth, he was not very sympathetic. The emperor didn¡¯t even know that Princess Larissa was his niece. Or rather, he wasn¡¯t even interested in her. It was long before the Urtan¡¯s invasion when his cousin became the Queen of Dayev. The emperor had no qualms about using his own family to umte power. She merely served as a political tool. He wasn¡¯t even sure if his cousin, whose face he didn¡¯t even remember very well, gave birth to a daughter. To the present emperor, the Empire of Dayev was nothing but a weak empire that was subjugated by the Urta Empire. However, even though he had no affection whatsoever, it was true that Princess Larissa had brought great luck to him. Thanks to the princess, the gritty rtionship between the Temple and the Imperial Government has softened considerably. This was because Princess Larissa had donated her ancient relic to the temple. ¡°Princess Larissa, will you stay in the Imperial Pce until you return to the Empire of Dayev?¡± The emperor was thinking of letting her stay in the imperial city if she wanted. But unexpectedly¡­ ¡°No, Your Majesty. If possible, I would like to repay the Duke of Cernoir for saving my life.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Princess Larissa seemed to have the Duke of Cernoir in mind. Then this was even better! Emperor Albrecht recalled his memories. ¡®Isn¡¯t the Duke of Cernoir already married?¡¯ Though, whether he was single or married, it didn¡¯t matter the slightest bit. The Empire of Heklos had a divorce system. And even if he was married, the emperor was sure that the duke would choose to remarry with a beautiful princess rather than to stay with a wife he had not seen for seven years. ¡®I mean, the duke¡¯s a man too! He should have no reason to reject such a beautifuldy.¡¯ Duke Cernoir, whose power grew day by day, was now gaining more power from the vassals and from the support of the Temple of Thysser. As for the emperor who kept him in check, it seemed that it would be best to make him his nephew-inw. Thus, Princess Larissa headed directly to Duchy of Cernoir with the emperor¡¯s gift. She headed there with Count DeFore, who was in charge of assisting her, and a maid called Carolina. * * * There was only a month left until the princess¡¯ arrival. Elody was busy handing over her work to Caville. Fortunately, Caville was smart. So he was able to adapt to the situation and workings of the new system in the duchy fast as well. Better yet, he was able to work more urately than Elody herself. Elody could finally rx now that Caville had taken over the lord¡¯s work. Thus, all that¡¯s left was for her to get back to her research. Though it was true that she would get divorced soon, she didn¡¯t want to spend her time in vain. She still had to manage the greenhouse and theb. Furthermore, she had to pay attention to the knights because a certain someone had caught her vomiting blood. ¡®Luckily, he seemed to have kept his promise¡­¡¯ Heinz had kept his knowledge about her illness a secret. Still, Elody wanted to check up on him just in case he made a slip of the tongue when he was drunk. Elody constantly ordered her servants to check on the knights with the excuse of making sure that they were doing well. However, the knights, in turn, felt extremely ufortable. ¡°Yes, how were the knights?¡± To Elody¡¯s question, Anna responded, ¡°Well, the same as always. Why does madame care so much about the knights these days?¡± ¡°¡­Well, some of the knights weren¡¯t originally from the duchy. I just wanted to make sure that they can adapt well to the atmosphere here.¡± ¡°You mean the knights who used to be mercenaries? Ugh, I loathe them.¡± ¡°Huh, why?¡± ¡®They talk about the princess every day. I really want to put a sock in their foul mouths and shove their faces into the gutter!¡¯ Is what Anna wanted to say, but she held back. Everyone knew about the rumors that the emperor wanted to pair the princess with the duke. It was ridiculous. The duke was already married and had no intention of divorcing the madame. Nheless, the servants were still worried that the two would separate after the princesses. ¡®What if the duke is really in love with the princess and abandons the madame?¡¯ In the end, her worries were needless. The duke still relied on her and followed her everywhere. Everyone could see the duke chasing after his wife. Every day, he would do nothing but say ¡®my wife, my wife¡¯, follow her around, and stick to her like glue. No one would even think that he had the intention to divorce her. Rather, it seemed very unlikely! However, the knights stayed in another building located in front of the mansion. Therefore, it was understandable that they didn¡¯t know how much the lord cherished the duchess as they couldn¡¯t see it for themselves. Anna was very frustrated as those pompous assholes kept pretending that they knew everything. But they knew nothing at all! Thus, the angry servants plotted to get their revenge. ¡®Just wait and see, you cheeky bastards¡­¡¯ Even though they were forced to treat them nicely now because of the madame¡­ When the time came, they would not hesitate to punish them. ¡°Did any of the knights seem troubled?¡± Elody asked once more. She wanted to fish for more information about Heinz. However, Annapletely changed the topic. ¡°Oh! Come to think of it, Sir Byron married Julia.¡± ¡°Sir Byron?¡± Sir Byron, one of the knights that remained in thend. He seemed to have married Julia, a maid who served in the mansion. Hence, Julia decided to quit her job and went on her honeymoon in a nearby vige. Recently, there had even been news of her pregnancy. Though, thanks to this, she was refrained from going outside and could note to the mansion. ¡°Julia says she wants to eat peaches.¡± ¡°Peaches?¡± ¡°Yes. She wants to eat it again, but¡­ the fruit is tough to find. She wants to eat it while she¡¯s pregnant¡­¡± Anna said bluntly. Peaches were considered rare as they were only grown in the east. Therefore, it was so valuable that only nobles were able to eat them for their leisure. Elody recalled a few years ago when Sirka had given her a bunch of peaches. ¡®It seems that Julia really likes them¡­¡¯ At that time, Elody shared the peaches with the servants and knights of the mansion. ¡®Only produced in the east¡­¡¯ She thought about doing some research. ¡®I¡¯ll study it! There are dozens of peaches that I had stored from back then.¡¯ Since she was busy researching the cure for her disease, the number of items in the storage had steadily increased over the years. ¡°Then, have one of my men go to Sirka and ask him for more peaches,¡± Elody said, causing Anna to giddily p her hands. ¡°Really, madame? Then, I want to eat it too!¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll ask for a lot.¡± ¡°Thank you, madame!¡± Anna grinned, ¡°Ah! Madame, maybe the fruit in the legend of the archmage isn¡¯t a peach?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± At Anna¡¯s words, Elody only blinked in confusion. ¡°I told you the other day. The story of the legendary archmage.¡± ¡®Ah, she did, didn¡¯t she?¡¯ She couldn¡¯t remember much because she was studying while listening to her talkst night. ¡®And I was also sleepy¡­¡¯ ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that the fruit was the reason as to why the archmage was so powerful?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s said that he used to eat a fruit called the ¡®Spirit Fruit¡¯, but nobody knows what the fruit actually was. Could it be a peach since it¡¯s scarce here in the west?¡± ¡°But didn¡¯t you say that the fruit has magical powers?¡± Elody asked back, raising an eyebrow. Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Anna nodded. Peaches were sweet and delicious, but they had no magic powers in them whatsoever. ¡°Madame, have you seen the duke¡¯s spirit?¡± ¡°I have. Would you like to know more about it?¡± Elody asked, smiling. ¡°Really? They say that its wings are bigger than a human¡¯s! I¡¯m dying from curiosity!¡± Elody wondered if she had heard those stories from the knights, for what Anna knew was only Ifrit¡¯s adult form. ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ll just say that its fur is red.¡± Upon hearing Elody¡¯s short answer, Anna became even more curious. After Caville¡¯s return, all the servants became curious when they had heard that he could control the Spirit of Fire. However, they had never seen it before. So, they wondered if there were some sort of circumstances that made it difficult for people to look at the spirit. Upon hearing the stories, the knights said that they had seen nothing of the spirit until the time when the territory of Urta had been defeated. Elody also saw it for a while, and when she did, it was in the form of an adorable puppy, not its adult form. And Caville wasn¡¯t particrly happy when Elody and the spirit met. She thought that he was probably a bit possessive towards Ifrit. Elody was a little disappointed by Caville¡¯s attitude, but she chose to stay quiet. ¡°I¡¯m going to tell this to Sir Byron. I¡¯ll be back, madame!¡± ¡°Yes. Oh, and can you check up on the knights while you¡¯re there?¡± ¡°Yes, Madame!¡± Anna nodded and left theb. * * * Just as Elody was worried about Heinz, Heinz had Elody in his mind as well. ¡°Urgh, so annoying¡­¡± Heinz was in great distress. He felt very strange. He didn¡¯t know why¡­ but he kept feeling very sorry for the duchess. The more he thought about it, the sillier he felt. ¡®Me? Feel sorry for that woman?¡¯ Princess Larissa had been trapped in a dungeon after being kidnapped by Urta. She was more deserving of his sympathy. ¡®But Princess Larissa isn¡¯t terminally ill¡­¡¯ Princess Larissa only had good things in her future, along with the duke. On the other hand¡­ the duchess¡¯ fate was death and misery. Heinz remembered how painful it had been for his sister¡­ He sighed. The other soldiers who stood by him started chattering with one another. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you think that the duchess is behaving a bit odd these days?¡± ¡°The duchess? Why do you say that?¡± ¡°Well, the servants kept visiting us, and every time, they would ask if we¡¯refortable with the ce or if we had anyints. I wondered why they were being so kind, so I asked them. Do you know what they told me?¡¯ ¡°What? That it was all because of the duchess?¡¯ ¡°Yes! The duchess ordered them to take care of us!¡± ¡°Really? Us? What is that wicked woman nning?¡± ¡®Wicked woman? How dare this bastard talk so carelessly¡­¡¯ Heinz was strangely upset by his subordinates¡¯ words, but he himself did not understand why they felt offensive to him. ¡®Ah, why should this be irritating me? Goddamnit. It¡¯s just a woman!¡¯ But she honestly wasn¡¯t that bad. The letters she sent to the duke during the war¡­ The rumors imed that the letters had been intercepted from the temple. It was difficult to confirm if it was true or not, so Heinz thought of it as a lie. However, it no longer seemed like one. Instead, Heinz believed that it was now a fact. And he began to think of reasons as to why everyone in the mansion adored the duchess so much. He was going insane. Heinz was too embarrassed and found it quite the feat to change his mind so abruptly. Now he wanted to defend her and makeup excuses for her. It was ironic. He was now contemting on whether he should support the duchess when he had nopassion for her at the start. But¡­ whenever he saw her. She reminded him of his sister, who died a tragic death. Heinz felt as if a heavy burden had been ced on his chest. How did she get sick¡­? ¡°Argh! This angers me so badly!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, captain?¡± ¡°Shut up! Don¡¯t talk to me!¡± Heinz glowered, making his way among his men and marching away from the training grounds. * * * Just as Elody was busy, Caville also had a full agenda. In the morning, he had to check the security of the territory and went on his training with the knights. Then, in the afternoon, he had to perform his duties as the lord of thend. ¡°I thought my wife would stay by my side¡­¡± But Elody said she was busy with her research, so she couldn¡¯t apany him most of the time. Either way, Caville couldn¡¯tin as the rtionship between the two had recovered. His wife had been very sweet to him and treated him with the utmost kindness. These were peaceful days¡­ It was good that she treated him like when he was a child, but he still wasn¡¯t satisfied for some reason. While reviewing some documents, Caville recalled one of Ifrit¡¯s words. ¡°I know I told you to pretend to be weak¡­ but why are you acting like a child?! Are you mad?!¡± ¡°Tsk! You were the one who mentioned it first. And isn¡¯t my rtionship with her better now?!¡± ¡°Argh¡­ seriously, you idiot¡­ you don¡¯t have a single clue about stuff like this, don¡¯t you?! I told you, a husband shouldn¡¯t be cute and childish!¡± It was the same conversation as before. ¡°¡­Then what? ¡°You can¡¯t end up looking cute! How old do you think you are?! Ten? You have to show her a different image of yourself!¡± ¡°Well, what kind of image?!¡± Caville asked aggressively. ¡°You have to be masculine! You aren¡¯t as adorable as when you were a kid. You know that, right?!¡± Ifrit had suggested he show his abs before, but it had failed miserably. Ever since that day, Caville kept staring in the mirror with sadness. ¡°I¡¯m not adorable.¡± He thought about it and got frustrated each time. He knew he was attractive, but he wasn¡¯t adorable. It was depressing, but he had to admit it somehow. Caville wondered about what he should do. How could he be more special to her? He thought that maybe if he showed that he could manage the duchy responsibly¡­ In fact, after seeing Caville¡¯s efforts, Elody admired and even praised him. She was relieved that she could leave without any concerns. However, Caville did not know that. He, on the other hand, was waiting for the guys from the Temple toe quickly. ¡®So I can kill them all.¡¯ They must pay for taking away his wife¡¯s precious letters and medicine. However, he could not live with the idea of doing it in front of his wife. He wouldn¡¯t go back to making that stupid mistake again. He was thinking of letting Ifrit take care of them. After all, he did have to follow his orders for the rest of his life. Caville had put all of the necessary conditions in the contract he made with Ifrit. Therefore, the spirit king had no other choice than to follow his orders. That, too, was thanks to Elody¡¯s teachings. Caville hummed softly. He thought of taking care of everything quickly and then going to theb where his wife was working. But his efforts soon turned out to be in vain. In the afternoon, while Elody was experimenting with drugs. Caville was sitting next to her. Suddenly, as if she would have remembered something important, Elody told him, ¡°By the way, Caville¡­ When the men from the templee, you shouldn¡¯t take revenge or even think about hurting them, alright?¡± ¡°¡­Why?¡± He asked with a kind tone, pretending to be understanding and obedient when he was actually terrified of her discovering his n. He was so shocked that he covered his mouth with his hands. Elody smiled and stroked his head. ¡°The temple is a very powerful force. It would be better if you ask forpensation instead. If you take revenge on them physically, then they will not remain still.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I want our territory to be in peace, Caville.¡± That was something Caville agreed with. ¡°I¡¯ll try to figure something out, okay?¡± ¡°Yes, wife,¡± He nodded quietly. Elody was a good person, but she wasn¡¯t the type to let it go. She was also thinking about how to get her revenge. Sometimes, she would even plot things worse than death. ¡°Oh, but you mustn¡¯t let the temple control you. You know that, right?¡± ¡°I know.¡± The temple wanted to use the power of Caville¡¯s spirit. Thus they spread rumors saying that he was the son of God. When in truth, they were just using Caville as a political tool for their own benefits. If he had to choose, the imperial family would be a better choice because the temple guys were even more twisted than the emperor himself. ¡°And when the princess arrives, you have to be kind to her¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Elody somehow learned the story of Princess Larissa and her interest in winning Caville¡¯s heart. After Caville¡¯s return, Elody had never brought up the topic of Princess Larissa. She didn¡¯t dare to talk about her because she was not ready to ept it. However, she couldn¡¯t ignore this for any longer as she would have to leave soon. But to her surprise, Caville¡¯s reaction was cold. And so, Elody decided to ask him again, ¡°About Princess Larissa¡­ they said that she has beautiful silver hair, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville was silent. After a few moments of silence, he spoke, ¡°Wife.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about her when I¡¯m with you.¡± ¡°Uh ¡­ ah, yeah, I see,¡± Elody nodded, embarrassed. She couldn¡¯t even will herself to ask more about it as his response was frigid. Caville knew well that the emperor wanted the princess to marry him. Even Brien mentioned it to him. However, Caville was offended and upset. He was already married. He didn¡¯t understand why they were trying to separate him from his wife. Caville would never tolerate them. Anyone who tried to separate him from her should die by his own hands. Even if his wife asked him not to do it, he would get rid of them all. Maybe after that, his wife would be permanently ufortable with him, but it was way better than being separated from her for life. The thought of never seeing her again¡­ Brought him so much fear. No one had any idea how difficult those seven years had been. He didn¡¯t want to go through that hell again. Those painful memories were like horrible books; one he left on the shelf to gather dust. And when he saw her again, he finally had the chance to make new memories. Divorce was certainly not on his agenda. Elody nced at Caville while shaking the solution inside the sk. She still didn¡¯t understand why he reacted so coldly when she brought up the princess. ¡®Has he not fallen in love with the princess?¡¯ Given that the war ended in seven years, it was not without the possibility. Otherwise, he would have already admired the princess so much that he wouldn¡¯t want to part with her. Elody went on with her experiments for a long time whilst Caville kept staring at her. Thus, a month passed by¡­ And one day, a group of people arrived in the duchy¡­ Princess Larissa from the Empire of Dayev was finally here. Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha The trip took three-months, but Princess Larissa was not tired at all. After so long, she could finally see the Duke of Cernoir again. ¡®I wonder what he¡¯s doing now¡­¡¯ Princess Larissa could not forget the duke¡¯s expression on the battlefield. When she looked into his eyes, it was like nothing was there to behold. Nothing but an endless depth of ink, sorrow, and pain. She believed that he knew no warmth and had never shared love. That¡¯s why she told the emperor that she needed to go to the Duchy of Cernoir. When Princess Larissa saw the Duke of Cernoir for the first time, she thought that their meeting was fate. It was the first time she ever felt that way. She couldn¡¯t deny the fact that she had fallen for him at first sight. Hence, Larissa wanted to be closer to the Duke of Cernoir. It was true that at first, she needed his help for political reasons as well, but now it was because she desired to mend his broken heart. But unfortunately, he was colder than the rumors. ¡®This time¡­¡¯ When they met again, she hoped that they could be much closer than before. Thus, Princess Larissa clung to her hope, leaving everything in the hands of fate and destiny. She felt more alive than ever. * * * Many things had happened in the duchy before Princess Larissa arrived in the estate. First of all, the vassals who did not participate in the war left for the Forest of Death. They felt unjust, but there was no other escape. Thus, they decided to grit their teeth and n for a better future. On the other hand, Baron Vendos and Baron Bernard handed in their homework to Caville. For the past month, the two barons had stayed in the duke¡¯s mansion to write their reports. Caville permitted them to stay with the condition that they would note in the duchess¡¯ presence. Because of this, the two barons had to hide whenever they saw Elody. ¡°Do you still think that she¡¯s unqualified to be the duchess?¡± ¡°No. Your Grace!¡± ¡°No way, Your Grace!¡± The two barons said as they stared at the duke with a desperate look on their faces. Caville nced over the report with a satisfied expression. The report was full of gratitude to the duchess. ¡°Your Grace, if you could postpone our departure¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I just came back¡­ I want to be with my family for a while longer.¡± ¡°Please¡­¡± Caville looked down at the two barons that were on their knees. He remembered his wife¡¯s words, who said that he should show mercy and give another chance to those who sincerely realized their mistakes. When the barons said that they wanted to be with their family, Caville was a bit moved. He knew how painful it was to be apart from his loved ones. ¡°Alright, I shall give you one more month.¡± The two barons faces¡¯ brightened in an instant. They had made their decision. Seeing the duke¡¯s reaction to the report, it was clear what their course of actions should be. They would have to stick to the current duchess and take her side. Theirst hope, Iris, had been staying inside the mansion for the past month. But even Iris seemed to have no intention of capturing the duke¡¯s heart anymore. Instead, she kept asking them to find a man with pink hair. She would often gaze at the pink flowers and stayed there until sunset. Truthfully, Iris had tried to seduce the duke several times since her grandfathers did ask her to do it. However, he treated her like an invisible person every time. He was too proud of himself even for a duke in Iris¡¯s eyes. He hurt her ego. ¡®Is he ying hard to get? Or is he purposely ignoring Iris? This is much worse than my first love.¡¯ Iris began to hate the duke for his indifference. Thus, she started ignoring him as well. In the end, they eventually treated each other as invisible people as their rtionshippletely disappeared, or rather, it didn¡¯t exist from the very start. Nevertheless, the rtionship between the two was nothing more than strangers. * * * As the date of the princess¡¯ arrival approached, the servants began to worry. To the servants, the princess was like an uninvited guest as they knew that the emperor was trying to tie up the lord with her. Particrly, some of the maids were watching Heinz¡¯s knights who were eager to praise the princess. Anna continued to spy on the drivers while managing the greenhouse. In particr, some maids kept Heinz¡¯s knights under surveince as they had always praised the princess. At the same time, Anna had been spying on the knights while managing the greenhouse. And atst! The opportunity to p the former mercenary knights had finallye! ¡°Hey, Anna. Is the duchess doing well?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Sir Therion approached Anna, hesitantly asked, ¡°So¡­ I was wondering if the lord is getting along well with the madame. Since they¡¯ve been swamped with work recently¡­¡± ¡®A chance!¡¯ Anna grabbed hold of the opportunity. ¡°Why, of course! The duke has been taking care of her with his utmost sincerity! He goes back and forth to see his wife for at least twelve times a day, even if he¡¯s busy!¡± Heinz¡¯s knights, who were listening to Anna¡¯s words, snorted. Therion nodded with a sad look on his face. Because of the mercenaries¡¯ constant chattering, Therion got a bit influenced and thought that the duke might choose to marry the princess as well. ¡®If that happens, will the madame be alone?¡¯ He had hoped that was true, but unlike the rumors, the lord and the madame seemed to be getting along very well. Not long ago, there was a time when he identally witnessed them walking together. Both of them looked very friendly. Therion was heartbroken but decided to move on instead. Though it wasn¡¯t long, Elody would forever be his first love¡­ * * * The rattling sound of carriages could be heard as the princess¡¯ entourage neared their mansion. With hands sped tightly in front of her stomach, Elody constantly fiddled with her knuckles, weaving her fingers in and out of each other as she stared out of the grimy window. This was even more nerve-wracking than when she waited for Caville¡¯s return! ¡®Why am I so nervous¡­?¡¯ She would meet the heroine of the original novel soon. Her memories of the novel had faded, but a rough image remained. One thing she remembered was that Larissa was an innocent, nice, and beautiful heroine. She was innocent enough to keep being bullied by the viin Elody Mcire¡­ But¡­ ¡°Marie, isn¡¯t this too shy?¡± ¡°Huh? What do you mean, madame? I don¡¯t think that it¡¯s any different from usual. ¡°¡­¡­¡± It waspletely different¡­ For some reason, Marie was extra sensitive today. Elody silently watched Marie decorating her with essories. After she finished dressing her up, Elody went down to the first floor with Caville, who was waiting in front of her room. Elody nced at Caville¡¯s face. ¡®Is he looking forward to meeting the princess¡­?¡¯ Caville didn¡¯t seem tense, but he seemed eager. The imperial cavalcade entered the city gates with mountains of gifts in its carriages. And as the carriage came to a stop, the servants and knights weed the princess and the emperor¡¯s envoy. A maid and a young male nobleman got off from a fancy carriage, and soon Princess Larissa appeared. ¡°Wow¡­¡± The carriage steps cluttered as the princess was led down, and when the knights saw her, they couldn¡¯t help but gawk at her gorgeous silver hair. ¡°¡­So we finally meet again, Duke of Cernoir.¡± Princess Larissa approached Caville straight away. However, Caville was indifferent. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Elody stared at the two in awe. The male lead and the heroine had finally met! They got along better than what she had expected. ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, duchess,¡± Larissa said as she greeted Elody with an awkward smile. ¡°A pleasure to meet you, as well, princess.¡± Ever since the Duke of Cernoir returned to thend as a war hero, he had been the center of all gossip throughout the capital. As such, his wife was also of interest. However, little was known about the duchess. She was known as the daughter of Count Mcire, a mage who made all sorts of magical drugs. That was the only rumor that seemed to be correct. The rest seemed inurate, saying that she was bad-tempered, extravagant, ill-mannered, and so on so forth. Some rumors also said that her potions were made out of dirty mice and bugs, but Larissa was unsure. In short, the nasty rumors out-weighted the good ones. The rumors also spread around the battlefield. Caville¡¯s knights informed Princess Larissa of two things; the duke came to the battlefield at a very young age, and it was a fact that the duchess was a very cold woman. After hearing the story, Princess Larissa could understand why the duke¡¯s eyes were full of loneliness and pain. However, in reality, the duchess was a beautiful woman with gorgeous pink locks. Elody nced over the princess¡¯s shoulder to inspect the carriages and asked, ¡°If I may ask, princess. Did the priests of the Thysser Templee along with you?¡± Princess Larissa snapped back to reality and replied, ¡°Oh, the priests stopped by another temple on the way¡­ They said they would arrive either tomorrow or the day after.¡± ¡°Ah, I see¡­ Well, you havee a long way, so please head inside and make yourselvesfortable.¡± ¡°Thank you for your consideration, duchess.¡± Princess Larissa smiled a little and followed the maid¡¯s guidance to the inside of the mansion. Maid Carolina and Count DeFore nced at Elody before following the princess inside. They also heard rumors about the duchess in the capital. In particr, Carolina knew of the princess¡¯ feelings, so she investigated the duchess in great detail. And there was one person who witnessed her eyes that were full of hostility¡­ ¡®These people dare¡­ ¡® It was Olivia, one of the maids who cherished Elody a lot. Olivia¡¯s eyes were clouded with fury. ¡°Please guide the guests to their rooms,¡± Elody instructed. ¡°Yes, madame.¡± * * * Princess Larissa was guided to the best guest room they had and was resting there. ¡°How dare they give the princess a room as shabby as this. Right, princess?¡± Carolinained. But Princess Larissa did not hate the room. It wasn¡¯t as shy as the room she spent in the imperial pce, but it was rather elegant as well. Princess Larissa liked being here more than the imperial pce. She liked the mansion of the Duke of Cernoir because it had a more vintage feel and coziness to it. ¡®This ce feels homey. It reminds me of the old castle I used to live in when I was a little girl¡­¡¯ Indeed, it was simr in appearance as well as the atmosphere inside it. Chapter 52 Chapter 52 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha Knock-knock! Someone knocked on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± Larissa said. A few maids proceeded to enter the room. Shortly after she arrived, Princess Larissa made a small request to Elody. ¡°Excuse me, duchess. Can I ask for a maid to serve me during my stay in the mansion?¡± ¡°Of course, princess. Will one person be enough?¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you.¡± She wanted a maid to guide her as she still wasn¡¯t familiar with the mansion. The maids approached Larissa and greeted them politely. Carolina carefully observed them to search for their ws. ¡°You can choose any one of us, princess,¡± Tessie said in a kind voice. Larissa nced at the maids one by one. Then, her eyes came to a halt as she saw a gloomy-looking maid with narrow shoulders. The maid seemed to be insecure and ufortable. ¡®Isn¡¯t it possible that she¡¯s bullied by someone¡­?¡¯ Princess Larissa suddenly recalled one of the rumors she had heard in the capital. ¡°The duchess abuses her maids and makes magic pills from their tears!¡± She thought it was a ridiculous rumor, but the story came to her mind as soon as I saw the maid. She felt chills down her spine. Thus, Princess Larissa pointed her finger to the maid. That maid was Olivia. * * * ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville was staring at the gifts with a long face. The emperor sent various jewels, gold bars, and silk fabrics as gifts. ¡®They should¡¯ve sent only one gift¡­ ¡® Caville was so busy with his duties that he had no time to spend with his wife, but to think that it was because he had to pay attention to things like these¡­ He was irritated. Caville turned away from the gifts with a dissatisfied expression. Andte afternoon that day¡­ Elody was stuck in theb, working on her newest project. The growth-promoting ampoule used for ginseng cultivation was very rare, so it could only be made in small quantities. The ingredients of the ampoule were the root of the rabbit-tailed-grass. The root itself could be easily obtained, but the ones that could be used in the ampoule were the deeply aged roots. Currently, Elody was researching ways to use ordinary roots as an ingredient for the ampoule. However, Elody couldn¡¯t concentrate at all that day. ¡®Is it because I¡¯ll have to leave soon?¡¯ Elody had packed her thingsst night as she didn¡¯t have much to take. However, she still felt restless for some reason. Before the princess came, she still had the desire to leave. But when she saw how the princess looked at Caville, she finally realized. The time for her to leave had finallye. She really had to go this time¡­ Elody¡¯s luggage was only filled with a couple of clothes and the dried leaves of the Herb of Salvation. The rest of the luggage, theboratory objects, and the nts in the greenhouse did not matter much as they could be moved slowly in time. ¡°Madame, why do you look upset?¡± Anna asked carefully, noticing Elody¡¯s rigid face. ¡°Huh? Ah, it¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just¡­ the research isn¡¯t going too well.¡± ¡°How about taking a break today? The banquet will be held in a few days¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright. I¡¯ll just go to the greenhouse for a while.¡± Elody smiled at Anna, who sorted the herbs, reassuring her that everything was fine, and then headed towards the greenhouse. ¡®¡­Is she in a lot of pain?¡¯ Anna looked anxiously at Elody¡¯s back. It seemed that she was suffering. It was obvious that she went to the greenhouse alone because she did not want Anna to see herself in pain. Anna¡¯s heart ached. However, contrary to Anna¡¯s expectations, Elody was perfectly fine. As she approached the plot of herbs, Elody reached out her hand. Then, a glow of blue energy prated into her body. She feltforted for some reason. Suddenly¡­ ¡°Hello, benefactor. What¡¯s with your expression?¡± Elody lifted her head only to find Ifrit in the middle of the ginseng field. ¡°¡­That field.¡± So much soil¡­ but the puppy¡­ Elody bit her lips and lifted Ifrit. ¡°What?! Let go of me!¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be in here.¡± ¡°How could you carelessly touch the spirit king¡¯s body! Don¡¯t think you¡¯re special just because you¡¯re my benefactor!¡± Elody didn¡¯t care. In her eyes, Ifrit was nothing more than a small and adorable puppy. ¡°Ifrit. You shouldn¡¯t go into this field. Do you know how much these are worth?¡± Elody said, pointing to the ginseng fields. ¡°¡­¡­¡± At Elody¡¯s resolute remarks, Ifrit lowered his head. Ifrit felt bad, but he was quicklyforted after Elody gently swept off the dirt from his fur. ¡°By the way, you seem to have troubles too.¡± ¡°Too? What do you mean by that? Does Caville have troubles too?¡± Ifrit was stunned by Elody¡¯s sharp intuition. Caville had already warned Ifrit. He was told to never talk about Caville in front of his wife. ¡°No¡­ I mean, humans in general always have a lot of troubles,¡± Ifrit replied while averting his gaze. ¡°¡­I see.¡± Elody wondered if Caville was worried about her and the princess. What if he couldn¡¯t bring up the divorce because he felt sorry for her? ¡°Benefactor, what¡¯s troubling you?¡± ¡°¡­Me? N-nothing¡¯s troubling me¡­¡± Elody shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re obviously anxious about something. I can see it in your face.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I shall listen to you. Now tell me.¡± Elody looked troubled and hesitated a moment before answering. ¡°By any chance¡­¡± However, as she was about to speak up. ¡°My wife.¡± The door of the greenhouse leading to theb opened, and Caville entered the room. Caville narrowed his eyes when he saw Elody with Ifrit. ¡°Caville¡­?¡± ¡°You were with Ifrit?¡± Caville quickly approached and carried Ifrit. Then he opened the back door of the greenhouse, released the puppy, and closed it back. He even locked it tightly. Elody tried toe up with an excuse. ¡°He was ying around the ginseng field,¡± she spoke, quite awkwardly. ¡°¡­I see.¡± ¡°He could identally damage the field, so I¡¯ll have to lock the door for a while.¡± ¡°Good thinking, wife.¡± Caville hated it when Ifrit was with his wife. The cunning Ifrit was well aware of the duke¡¯s emotions. He didn¡¯t want him to steal his precious time with her. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± On the other hand, Elody felt strange when she saw Caville look so angry. She was sad, and her heart felt empty, but she didn¡¯t know why. ¡°Are you finished with your work?¡± ¡°Yes, wife. I¡¯ve finished everything properly.¡± Caville was diligently carrying out the duties of the lord. Elody¡¯s help was no longer necessary. Elody was surprised to see the reports a few days ago. All his judgments were neat and uncluttered. The principles of a noble would sometimes cause one to judge in favor of those with higher status. However, like Elody herself, rather than to dispose of the case with an unruly judgment, Caville thoroughly considered the circumstances of the weak and made a fair decision. When Elody asked the administrator who was in charge of the trial records, he told her that Caville had found all the records that Elody had tried and studied them to its core. Elody was happy that Caville was doing well, but she also felt strange somehow. ¡°Then, shall we go back to the mansion?¡± Elody asked while smiling at Caville. ¡°Yes, my wife.¡± Previously, Elody had to brush off Caville¡¯s hand several times because of the symptoms of her disease. And since then, Caville hadn¡¯t reached out his hands to Elody. It was because he thought that Elody was ufortable with his touch. However, Elody also didn¡¯t have the courage to reach out to Caville first. It seemed as if she shouldn¡¯t be doing it for some reason. Even if she did initiate any physical contact, it was only about stroking his head or tapping his shoulders. After the princess arrived, Elody felt like there was a distance between her and Caville. Caville also felt that distance. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Until yesterday, the two acted like a brother and sister, but that day, the atmosphere waspletely different. The two returned to the castle without saying a single word. The atmosphere was tense as none one tried to break the awkward silence that filled up the air. * * * ¡°Where is the duke now?¡± It had been two days since the princess arrived at the mansion. Larissa had never been able to see Caville even once. ¡°He should be in court as of now,¡± Olivia replied. ¡°I see¡­¡± At Princess Larissa¡¯s grim answer, Olivia¡¯s heart sang for joy. After she was assigned as Larissa¡¯s maid, the maids went through a brief meeting. ¡°Never let the princess and the duke run into each other. You got that, Olivia?¡± ¡°Yes, Marie. I will even risk my life to stop it.¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes were filled with determination. Marie was bedazzled by her willpower. ¡°Um¡­ please don¡¯t have to risk your life¡­ But anyways, we can¡¯t do anything on the day of the banquet, but before then, make sure that the two will never run into each other. Understand?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I will desperately try to stop it at all costs,¡± Olivia replied. The maids looked at Olivia with reassuring expressions. Nobody knew how concerned they would be if Sylvia ended up being assigned as the princess¡¯ maid instead. It would be a nightmare! Fortunately, the princess chose Olivia. Olivia perfectly memorized the duke¡¯s daily routine and then arranged the princess¡¯ schedule in reverse. ¡°Is the duchess busy, too?¡± ¡°Yes, the madame is currently working on a new magic pill.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Larissa had a sullen look on her face. Thus, she decided to take a stroll in the garden. ¡°What¡¯s over there?¡± Larissa asked, pointing to a peculiar building. ¡°¡­That¡¯s the madame¡¯s greenhouse.¡± ¡°Greenhouse?¡± Princess Larissa¡¯s expression brightened when she heard the word greenhouse. Before the invasion of the Kingdom of Urta, there was a beautiful greenhouse in the royal city of Dayev. Before they were colonized by the Empire of Urta, there was a beautiful greenhouse in the Dayev Empire, and it belonged to Larissa and her mother. She felt quite nostalgic all of a sudden. ¡°I want to see it¡­ is that alright?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Of course, princess! Why wouldn¡¯t we be allowed to? Let¡¯s go and see, princess!¡± Carolina immediately took charge and led the princess to the greenhouse. Larissa smiled at her cheerful appearance as she followed Carolina from behind. ¡°¡­¡­¡± And Olivia, for some reason, followed after the two with a resentful expression. ¡°Is it locked? Get the key here!¡± Carolina shouted at Olivia after seeing the locked greenhouse door. ¡°Managing the greenhouse is not my job.¡± ¡°What? Did she intentionally lock it so that our princess could not see it?¡± ¡°Carolina, it¡¯s okay¡­.¡± Princess Larissa stopped her. ¡°Tsk¡­¡± Carolinained in dissatisfaction. ¡°Let¡¯s see it next time,¡± Larissa smiled and led the two maids back to the garden. They arrived in a garden full of pink roses. Their heavenly fragrance invited them to stay, and it¡¯s pink, blooming petals stood out in the grass. ¡°Wow¡­ the flowers are gorgeous. Princess, I¡¯ve never seen colors like these in the capital!¡± Carolina eximed as she picked up the bunch of roses. After confirming that the flowers had no thorn, she handed it over to Larissa. ¡°They¡¯re wonderful¡­¡± Princess Larissa looked at the rose with an ecstatic expression. The pink roses danced and swayed in the wind, it¡¯s long green stem was as fragile as ss. She had never seen such beauty before in the Empire of Dayev. But then¡­ ¡°Who broke Iris¡¯ rose?¡± An angry voice came from behind. Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha Iris snarled at the three in front of her. ¡°¡­!¡± Tessa, Iris¡¯s maid, was surprised when she saw Princess Larissa before her eyes. She carefully whispered into Iris¡¯s ear, ¡°Mdy, she is Princess Larissa of the Dayev Empire¡­¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± At Tessa¡¯s words, Iris immediately changed her expression. She lifted the hem of her dress and dropped into a curtsy. ¡°This is the first time Iris has met a princess in real life! Iris has only heard about them in fairy tales! It is very nice to meet you, Your Highness,¡± Iris smiled. Iris introduced herself as the granddaughter of Baron Bernard and Baron Vendos, the duke¡¯s vassals. Princess Larissa gave her a friendly smile. ¡°A pleasure to meet you as well, Lady Iris.¡¯ ¡±Yes, of course. Speaking of which, why did you ruin Iris¡¯s roses? The roses must¡¯ve been in great pain¡­¡± Iris took the rose from Larissa¡¯s hand. Larissa was embarrassed by her spoiled behavior, but she didn¡¯t lose her signature smile. ¡°How dare she take Her Highness¡¯s things¡­?!¡± Carolina red daggers at Iris, trembling with rage. ¡°This rose belongs to Iris!¡± Iris shouted at Carolina. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lady Iris, but¡­ this is the duke¡¯s residence. Doesn¡¯t the garden belong to the duchess?¡± Larissa said with a worried expression. ¡°Still, she¡¯s being ridiculous. How dare you act so rudely in front of the princess¡­?! Our princess is His Majesty the Emperor¡¯s niece!¡± Carolina yelled as if she was carrying a heavy load. She was frustrated because the duke¡¯s servants weren¡¯t as hospitable as she thought they would be. Of course, the servants were kind but not as kind as what Carolina wanted. She expected Princess Larissa to get the best treatment. Better than the duchess herself! Carolina knew that she was being unnecessarily emotional. But she couldn¡¯t help it because she knew what it was like to be looked down upon by other people. As a maid of the imperial pce, Carolina used to be bullied because she wasn¡¯t originally from the capital. But when Larissa chose her as her personal maid, the attitudes of the other servants changed drastically. Carolina was forever grateful to the princess and had been blindly following her ever since. She thought that Princess Larissa was kinder and more beautiful than anyone else. Carolina did not doubt that the Duke of Cernoir would fall in love with Princess Larissa. But to think that the granddaughter of a mere baron would dare to belittle her princess¡­! Iris observed Princess Larissa from head to toe with her hand on her chin. ¡°The duchess gave Iris her permission! She gave all the roses in this garden to Iris! That¡¯s why these roses are mine!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Princess Larissaughed at Iris, who was acting like a child, she genuinely thought of her as cute. It seemed that she had grown up receiving tremendous love from her grandfathers. Except for her mother, Larissa had never been loved by those of her own blood. She unexpectedly felt a little jealous as Iris had grown up surrounded with so much love, whereas she did not. ¡°I apologize, Lady Iris. It seems as though I¡¯ve made a mistake,¡± Larissa said. ¡°¡­Apology epted, Your Highness,¡± Iris smiled as if she was never angry. On the other hand, Tessa breathed a sigh of relief as she wiped the sweat off her forehead. Then, the minute she saw Olivia, her heart stopped. During the month of her stay at the castle, Tessa, Iris¡¯s maid, began to fear the servants of the mansion. It was midnight that day, and she had identally listened to their conversations. One of them said, ¡°Threaten him with a knife.¡± ¡°Choke his neck with one arm¡­ you¡¯ll get information as long as you act tough¡­¡± The conversation was scary and suspicious! Tessa believed that they would have killed her if they ever found out that she was eavesdropping on them. The servants were actually looking for information about the people that tried to bribe them. However, Tessa didn¡¯t know that. She simply imagined that they were involved with an underground criminal gang. Suddenly, a shadow appeared from behind her¡­ ¡°¡­!¡± It was Olivia. Tessa was so surprised that she fell to her butt. Afterward, Olivia threatened her to stay shut. If she ever broke that promise, she would not hesitate to use coercion on her. Tessa was terrified. She used to think of Olivia as a timid and shy maid. However, she turned out to be the most frightening maid amongst all the others! ¡°Why does Your Highness have to apologize?!¡± Carolina chastised. She was bing both frustrated and angry. She couldn¡¯t understand why the princess had to sumb to that so-called baron¡¯s granddaughter. Nevertheless, the princess justughed it off. Then, she went back to the mansion whilst trying to calm her maid down. Before Olivia followed the two back to the mansion, she didn¡¯t forget to re into Tessa¡¯s eyes, staring deep into her soul. ¡®If you dare say one word. You shall nevere back alive.¡¯ Tessa gulped and crossed her fingers. She was so petrified that tears started welling up in her eyes. She wanted to go home with herdy as soon as possible, but unfortunately, Iris seemed to have no intention of doing so¡­ All of a sudden, Iris broke into a fit ofughter. ¡°Haha! Iris thought that the princess would be full of dignity, but I guess not. As expected! Iris is much more beautiful than the princess, right?¡± Iris grinned in satisfaction. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Not minding the silence. Iris continued to hum while admiring the beautiful pink flowers. She did not like the duchess; however, she had to give Elody credit as she did give her the whole garden. Not long ago, Iris was strolling around the garden with thepany of her grandparents. She asked the barons if it were possible for them to nt these pink roses at home. Suddenly, they bumped into the duchess who was also taking a walk. Elody, being the kind person she is, heard of the story and promised to give it to her as a gift for when she returned to her residence. Iris was ecstatic. However, the two barons just bowed their heads and kept averting the duchess¡¯ gaze. At that moment, Iris wondered if something had happened between them as her grandfathers were acting quite odd. She wanted to ask them, but she was distracted with the joy she felt after receiving the roses, and well¡­ she eventually forgot about it. Anyhow, after meeting Elody, Iris was now looking for her first love. In all her life, she had never seen such a unique hair color that was beautiful as the duchess¡¯, except for the young man she met from when she was a little girl. Once she remembered her first love, it urred to her that he could be rted to the duke¡¯s wife. In fact, in the beginning, she wondered if the duchess might have actually been that young man herself. However, the duchess should have been much younger than him at that time. ¡®Then, he might be rted to the duchess!¡¯ As soon as she thought of that, Iris came to her grandparents and asked them to find out more about Count Mcire¡¯s children, for she definitely wanted to meet her first love. ¡®When we meet again, he¡¯ll fall in love with Iris once he sees how beautiful Iris has grown!¡¯ Iris couldn¡¯t care less about not bing the duchess. The duke treated her like crap anyways. So, of course, she didn¡¯t want to waste her time on someone who¡¯s clearly not interested in her. A few days ago, when she met the duke, she turned her face before him first! ¡®¡­And it honestly felt great!¡¯ Of course, Caville didn¡¯t notice at all, but¡­ Iris was convinced that she had won. Looking at the duke, she somehow felt very sorry for the duchess. Even if he was a very handsome man, nothing mattered because her husband was very cold. ¡®Hmph! Love is not all about physical appearance. Iris¡¯s partner has to have a nice personality and be very kind to Iris.¡¯ Her first love was so much cooler than the duke. She thought that it would be much better to find her first love than to be the second wife of the duke, who was still married. Iris had already visited the duke¡¯s mansion and the duchess even gifted her the roses in the garden! What more could she ask for? All of this was enough to show off to the other noble girls. ¡°Mdy, do you know that the princess came here because she wants to marry the duke?¡± Tessa asked as she wiped the tears in her eyes. ¡°Pfft! The duke and the princess? He didn¡¯t even fall in love with Iris! How could he ever fall in love with the princess?¡± She snorted. ¡°That¡¯s true. No one could evere to par with Lady Iris¡¯s beauty.¡± However, Tessa believed that the princess and Duke of Cernoir could end up marrying each other. Tessa was sad. She had hoped that Iris could capture the duke¡¯s heart, but she guessed that wish wouldn¡¯te true. * * * The Temple¡¯s entourage had been stopping at a few temples when going on their way to the Duchy of Cernoir. This was thest stop, and so they hurried to embark on their journey again. Awaiting to arrive at their final destination. The Duchy of Cernoir. Theodore, themander of the Pdins of Thysser, got on his horse and spoke, ¡°We leave tonight. We shall proceed to the Duchy of Cernoir without any dys.¡± ¡°Yes,mander!¡± With blonde hair and green eyes, the young man was greatly respected by the other pdins. After the previousmander retired, the nextmander of the pdins was chosen solely because of his ability. Theodore was an excellent man, both in appearance and in sword fighting skills. Thanks to that, he was always the center of gossip in the capital. His curls were golden, and his eyes were the glimmering color of emerald, sparkling in the light like a fresh sheen of morning dew, framed by graceful brows. He was kind and diligent. Plus, he had a mystical aura that seemed to be able to captivate every woman near him. ¡°Do you know why thedies in the capitale to the temple every day? It¡¯s not because of their faith, rather¡­ It¡¯s because they want to see themander of the pdins!¡± Was what the rumors said. Pdins don¡¯t usually marry, but it certainly wasn¡¯t forbidden. Theodore was still single at the early age of 28. Thus, it was understandable as to why many aristocratic women wanted to have his hand in marriage. However, recently, the person that was the center of all topics in the capital was the Duke of Cernoir, not Theodore. Divorc¨¦s are usually looked down upon by other people. However, that did not apply to the Duke of Cernoir. The duke had be a war hero! It was undoubtedly better to be his second wife than to marry a man who had nothing at all. Had the Duke of Cernoir visited the capital, the civilians would have gone nuts. Caville Cernoir was a young and handsome man who turned the war to victory. Thus, his poprity had earned him the attention of numerous women of marriageable age. And although he wasn¡¯t single, he was married at a very early age, and the two were separated for seven years. Hence, everyone thought that he would at most certainly divorce his wife soon. As long as someone was able to capture his heart, even an ordinary country girl could be the duchess. His power at present was that great. Though, if the Duke of Cernoir had visited the capital, the nobles would havepared him to Theodore, themander of the pdins. There was even a poll to see who, between the two, was more popr! Many young women wanted to see them both at the banquet. Unfortunately, the Duke of Cernoir immediately returned to his territory, and themander of the pdins, too, had to go to the Duchy of Cernoir. The Temple of Cernoir had been empty for a long time. Thus, the Great Temple decided to dispatch new priests and pdins to maintain close rtions with the Duke of Cernoir. Of course, there was no need for themander of the pdins toe, but Theodore volunteered to go there himself. Nobody knew the exact reason. On the battlefield, the Duke of Cernoir and themander of the pdins did not have a good rtionship with one another. They had no idea why Theodore chose to go there. The pdins and priests who apanied him also tried to guess the reason. His men had asked him about it many times, but Theodore had never given them an urate answer. He had always beaten around the bush or diverted the topic itself. That¡¯s why no one knew the answer to those questions. However, little did they know that his true purpose¡­ was to pursue Elody Mcir, the Duchess of Cernoir. Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha Princess Larissa hadn¡¯t been able to see Caville during her stay in the duchy. This was because Caville had a hectic schedule. Especially today, many of the duke¡¯s vassals and knights visited the mansion. So he was even busier than usual. Caville did not like the noisy atmosphere. However, he had no other choice than to wee the uninvited guests. Moreover, Count DeFore, one of the court officials in the imperial pce, gave him a stack of documents to sign. ¡°These are documents sent by His Imperial Majesty. Please examine and sign each one of the papers.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The documents stated that he would not im any property from the war. ¡®What a nuisance¡­¡¯ Caville started checking the papers. The emperor was a cunning man. He meticulously prepared the documents to increase the possibility of him getting all the properties at once. Thanks to that, Caville had to read each one of them thoroughly. It was so stressful as Caville couldn¡¯t just recklessly sign them without reading carefully. ¡®That damn old emperor¡­¡¯ There were even some strange documents in the pile of papers. ¡®Is he doing this on purpose?¡¯ In addition, the emperor also sent a special letter to Caville. [Princess Larissa is quite fond of you. She specifically told me that she would like to marry you.] Caville wondered if he could get Ifrit to burn down the imperial pce. Finally, the emperor¡¯s letter expressed interest in the Spirit King of Fire. As soon as Caville saw the emperor¡¯s letter, he immediately wrote back a response. He ordered a servant of the imperial pce to send the emperor his answer. The letter contained a firm answer that he had never intended to get a divorce and that he had no desire to marry the princess whatsoever. ¡®No one has ever asked me for my opinion.¡¯ Nobody had ever thought about Caville¡¯s feelings. They had never asked. He certainly had never had the intention to marry the princess from the very start. The princess didn¡¯t even ask him if he wanted to marry her in person. Though no one asked, it seemed that it would be better if he spoke about it first. But he needed to find a good reason before discussing the topic at hand. And as he was not close with a lot of people, Caville decided to consult Ifrit. ¡°But she didn¡¯t personally ask you to marry her, right? Wouldn¡¯t you be in trouble if you bring up the topic first? It¡¯ll seem as if you want her to propose to you!¡± Because of Ifrit¡¯s words, Caville became even more confused. Nheless, when the perfect opportunity came. Caville would not hesitate to crush the rumors about him and set things straight. Besides talking about Princess Larissa, the emperor¡¯s letters were also filled with questions about the Spirit King of Fire. ¡®Both the Imperial Government and the Temple were yearning to covet Ifrit¡¯s powers.¡¯ However, Ifrit was already contracted to serve Caville for life. The same thing also happened to other divine spirits. He had to depend on Caville¡¯s mana to survive. Moreover, Ifrit was only able to burn all of the Urtans because his source of power came from Caville¡¯s mana. Caville nned to use Ifrit as much as possible since he had already given him a lot of his mana. Though truthfully, the useless puppy hadn¡¯t been very helpful nowadays. ¡°Phew.¡­¡± Caville sighed as he read the reports sent by vassals that had reached the Forest of Death. ¡®I miss my wife.¡¯ Lamenting about his workload, Caville looked at the greenhouse from his office window. ¡®When I got to the mansion, I thought that I¡¯d be able to see my wife every day¡­¡¯ Yet, reality wasn¡¯t as sweet as he had hoped for. Caville thought that his wife would like him more if he did the lord¡¯s duties as best as he could, but the response he got was not as enthusiastic as he had expected. She did praise him, but it was not the reaction that he wanted. Caville was anxious. Not long ago, the two seemed to have gotten closer. However, one day, the atmosphere began to change again, and the distance between them grew wider. Caville could feel it. His wife seemed ufortable and always tried to avoid being alone with him. He felt like he was going insane as he didn¡¯t know what to do. Furthermore, he had been apprehensive about the sudden visits of uninvited guests and his workload had gotten much heavier! Caville was exhausted. ¡®I don¡¯t even have time to walk with my wife. What should I do?¡¯ Caville turned his gaze away from the papers in frustration. * * * Elody and Norman were choosing rooms for the guests from the Temple of Thysser. ¡°Your Grace, I heard that you were in theb untilte at night yesterday¡­ How about taking a break from work today?¡± Norman asked, worried. ¡°That¡¯s alright, Norman. I¡¯m not that tired. Thank you for your concern, though,¡± Elody smiled.¡± After thoroughly checking the rooms, Elody directly headed to theboratory with Marie. Elody was excited to have found a new type of seed to study. Yesterday, a messenger from Rhondia came to the mansion with the peaches that Elody had asked for. ¡°Is Sirka too busy?¡± Elody asked. She thought that Sirka woulde to the mansion himself. ¡°Yes, the boss has been busy with worktely. So I think he will stay in the capital for a while. If something needs to be done, Your Grace may send someone directly to the branch. We¡¯ll do our best to take care of it.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°No need to thank us. Mr. Sirka told us to prioritize the madame first.¡± After the messenger said that they would send as many peaches as possible to Elody in the future, they headed back to the capital. On the other hand, Sirka was still busy with the investigation of the fake red pills. Elody sent some of the peaches to Julia and distributed the rest of them to the servants, knights, and guests. She also nned to nt the peach seeds in the greenhouse. When the shoots grew, she was thinking about improving the fruits using elerators. Thus, Elody decided to go to theb. On her way there, she saw a familiar fellow and paused in front of the knight¡¯s training grounds. ¡°Madame, is something wrong?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Marie followed Elody¡¯s gaze and immediately frowned. Princess Larissa and a few knights were chatting happily in front of the training camp. There were Brien and some mercenary knights, as well as Ren and Sr. ¡°Huh. They must get along well because of the war.¡± ¡°Right, it seems that she has adapted well to the atmosphere here.¡± ¡°She¡¯s leaving soon anyway. What¡¯s the need for her to adapt to the atmosphere of the mansion?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody did not respond and proceeded to theboratory with a bitter smile. Unlike the princess, she felt distant from the knights. Seeing Larissa get along well with them made her feel strange. She felt alienated and sad. * * * A day had passed¡­ Thete afternoon sun shone in a nt through the window, like a wide bar of gold. Today was a special day. It was the day of the princess¡¯s weing banquet! At the moment, Princess Larissa was getting ready for the banquet, and Olivia was helping her dress up. ¡°Wait, Olivia. How did you get that wound?¡± Larissa asked. Carolina was away to fetch a ss of cold water. Therefore, the two were the only ones in the room. However, as Larissa took a glimpse of Olivia¡¯s shoulder, she was surprised to see the wounds underneath the maid¡¯s attire. ¡°I got it a long time ago.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± It didn¡¯t look like an old wound. Princess Larissa stared at Olivia¡¯s eyes. She was very gloomy, and her eyes seemed¡­ empty. ¡°Olivia, if you have something troubling you, please tell me.¡± ¡°Nothing is troubling me.¡± It hadn¡¯t even been that long since they met. Why would the princess expect Olivia to speak about her problems¡­? Olivia felt very ufortable. ¡°Alright. But if you have any concerns, you can tell me, understand?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness¡­¡± After a while, Carolina returned to the room with cold water. ¡°Oh my, Your Highness¡­ How stunning! You look like an angel that fell from the heavens!¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re exaggerating!¡± Princess Larissa giggled. ¡°Move!¡± Carolina said as she pushed Olivia to fix Larissa¡¯s dress. Then, she styled the princess¡¯s silver hair. ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s a good thing that we bought the dress from the capital¡¯s most famous designer! Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s stunning.¡± Princess Larissa¡¯s gown was delicately embroidered with bright beads that sparkled like diamonds. It was a body-hugging silhouette with a skirt that red below the knee. She looked ravishing as the beam of light reflected in her silver strands of hair, making it seem as if it were glowing from within. ¡°It¡¯s a weing banquet for Your Highness, so you must stand out more than anyone else!¡± Olivia gritted her teeth at Carolina¡¯s impudence. ¡°I shall take my leave now. I need to get everything ready for the banquet,¡± Olivia spoke. ¡°Alright. See youter, Olivia.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± After Olivia left the room, Larissa asked Carolina. ¡°Carolina, Olivia has a terrible wound on her body¡­ have you seen it? ¡°Your Highness saw it too?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ it seems like a serious injury.¡± At Larissa¡¯s words, Carolina remembered something. ¡°Did the duchess abuse her like what the rumors said? Or are the other maids harassing her? I used to be bullied by the maids in the imperial pce too.¡± ¡°Did you also suffer from their beatings?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t as bad as Olivia¡¯s since I only got pped a few times¡­¡± ¡°Oh no¡­¡± ¡°I think she has more injuries. Perhaps that¡¯s why she keeps shrugging her shoulders. She must be in excruciating pain! ¡°How terrible¡­¡± Princess Larissa¡¯s eyes glistened with tears. She felt sorry for Olivia. ¡°Oh, Your Highness¡­ please don¡¯t cry!¡± Carolina immediately fixed her makeup as the princess bit her lips to contain the tears. ¡°You have a beautiful heart, Your Highness¡­¡± Carolina smiled before continuing, ¡°Though, it is very likely that the duchess abuses her servants. Could she really have made the magic pills with their tears?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± ¡°I mean, why would she keep the greenhouse and theboratory locked if not because of that? She must be hiding something!¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°I think so! Besides, Olivia is very stiff in front of the duchess. She kept bowing her head like a sinner¡­¡± ¡°Dear heavens, is that true?¡± Larissa was shocked. The duchess she met face to face did not seem like a tyrant¡­ Unlike her first impression, the duchess seemed to be strict with the servants. Larissa sympathized with Olivia. She was just a young girl, but she had to receive such harsh beatings. She wanted to help her, even if it was just a little bit. No, she wanted to help her to the fullest. ¡®I have to get her out of here somehow¡­¡¯ If the duchess was abusing her, Larissa thought that it would be better for Olivia to escape the mansion. Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha Elody had given Olivia a healing cream that could gradually remove the traces of her wound. However, Olivia chose to give it to her mother. She wanted to keep the scars so that she would never forget about the madame¡¯s kindness for the rest of her life. Elody was a little embarrassed about it. Still, she had told Olivia that she could ask her anytime if she needs more cream. ¡°What do you think, princess? Should I braid it to the side?¡± ¡°Yes, please. Thank you.¡± Princess Larissa, who hadn¡¯t dressed up for a long time, smiled with glee as she watched Carolina style her hair into a beautiful braid. A few days after arriving at the mansion, she could finally see the Duke of Cernoir again. Perhaps that was why her heart was beating rapidly with excitement. Nheless, Larissa tried to calm her beating heart. * * * ¡®It¡¯s a banquet to wee the Princess¡­¡¯ Caville was stunned. He didn¡¯t expect that he would have to host such a massive banquet for the princess. It made it seem as if he cared more about the princess than himself. Caville would rather hear Elody praising him for doing good at his job than to prepare a banquet for someone he didn¡¯t even like. He even had to suffer from his wife¡¯s distant attitude again because of this! Elody had been avoiding Caville with the excuse of being busy. It was getting harder to bear. Caville was thinking of having a long conversation with his wife tonight. Caville nced at Elody, who was sitting next to him. ¡°¡­Wife.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Elody turned her head to see Caville, but as soon as they made eye contact. She averted her gaze. ¡®See!¡¯ Caville¡¯s heart ached. A bunch of questions just popped into his head. Why did his wife do that? Was she mad at him? He was distraught. Caville leaned towards Elody and whispered to her ear, ¡°Wife, I¡¯d like to talk to youter.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Elody was surprised. ¡°Make time for meter, okay?¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± At Elody¡¯s answer, Caville smiled in satisfaction. Then, he offered Elody a ss of wine. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody stared at Caville¡¯s ss with a grim expression. Caville, whom she had raised, had begun drinking¡­ Elody wanted to nag, but she restrained herself. She felt like she wasn¡¯t qualified to scold him anymore. Strangely, it felt as if she had been taken to the edge of a cliff even though she had not left the mansion yet. * * * Thanks to Princess Larissa, the atmosphere of the banquet was lively and full of life. Unlike the ducal couple that sat next to each other, Princess Larissa sat next to Heinz and his men. She loved mingling with knights regardless of her status as a princess. Therion¡¯s knights were also surprised at seeing the princess being so friendly. Therion himself, however, could not attend the banquet. Under Caville¡¯s orders, Therion had to leave for the Forest of Death to look after the vassals for a few days. Therion¡¯s knights stared at the princess and the mercenaries with envy. It was good that the princess seemed to get along well with the mercenaries. Elody knew that it was a good thing. But somehow, she didn¡¯t feel as happy as she should have. Elody struggled to find the origin of her strange emotions. Heinz¡¯s knights were happy as they got to sit near the princess. ¡°Princess! Do you remember the count that looked like a duck on the battlefield? ¡°Oh my, a duck? Now that I think about it, they really do look simr!¡± Princess Larissaughed and chatted merrily with the knights. At the same time, she would nce at the duke every now and then. Suddenly, a knight asked the princess in a quiet voice, ¡°By the way, princess, are you really going to marry the duke?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Hey, why would you ask that¡­? I¡¯m curious too, but¡­¡± ¡°But the Duke is already married¡­¡± Princess Larissa spoke while covering her flushed face. ¡°He¡¯s going to get a divorce anyway! Plus, they haven¡¯t even obtained the temple¡¯s blessing¡­¡± ¡°But¡­ aren¡¯t the duchess and the duke on good terms?¡± Princess Larissa asked. Her heart was racing for some reason. She was overwhelmed with joy as she heard the duke¡¯s knights acknowledge her. ¡°No, not at all!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Heinz¡¯s men responded by waving their hands. They had no idea that the duke was deeply immersed with his wife. Yet, they still believed in their own assumptions. They had heard many rumors about the ducal couple¡¯s great rtionship. However¡­. They closed their eyes and ears to the truth because they only believed what they wanted to believe. And what they wanted was for Caville to marry the princess. ¡°Princess, you must never abandon ourmander!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Princess is much more suitable for the duke than that duchess!¡± Larissa smiled at the knights¡¯ words. Suddenly, Carolina pped her hands as if she had remembered something. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right! I almost forgot! I have a question for you, sirs! Is the duchess harsh with the servants?¡± ¡°Carolina¡­¡± Princess Larissa stopped her, but Carolina only stared at her, not knowing what was wrong with what she had said. The knights were surprised by the unexpected question and began contemting. Was it true? They stared at each other without knowing what to say. ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡­?¡± Heinz replied after being silent for most of the time. ¡°I see,¡± Princess Larissa responded with a smile. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Heinz was so ufortable that he felt like he was going crazy. In fact, he was ufortable from the start! But it only got worse after Princess arrived. He hadn¡¯t been able to sleep these past few days. He would feel abdominal pain for at least twelve times a day. He was sure that the princess was very kind, and yet¡­ Why was she doing this? As the days passed, Heinz got more and more nervous as he didn¡¯t know when the duchess would die. He wanted to tell the duke everything, but he couldn¡¯t just break his promise! ¡®Damn it, since when have I been such a righteous man¡­?¡¯ He wondered. Meanwhile, Carolina asked another question to the knights, ¡°Also, the duchess had never written a letter to the duke for seven years, right?¡± In response to her question, several whispers arose, as if she had just revealed something scandalous. Princess Larissa also listened attentively to the conversation. ¡°Rumors said that she did send letters to him, but they got stolen by the Temple. However, no one has any proof! Who knows? Maybe it¡¯s a lie after all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. She should have at least sent one! She probably forgot about ourmander during those seven years!¡± ¡°Now that ourmander returned as a war hero, she pretends to be a devoted wife.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Heinz was fuming with anger as he listened to his subordinates disregarding and bad-mouthing the duchess in front of the princess. He was so upset that he gulped down an entire bottle of alcohol. Heinz had a different opinion with the others. He didn¡¯t know when it changed ¡­ but, in any case, it was definitely different now. The duchess had sent so many letters to themander. ¡®Those bastards from the temple must¡¯ve stolen it¡­¡¯ He had been skeptical about it for a long time¡­ but now he was strangely convinced. Heinz stared at the duchess, who sat far away from him. The duchess, dressed in a sky blue gown, seemed fragile as if she could copse at any time. ¡®She must have vomited blood again when she was alone¡­¡¯ When he remembered how the duchess spat blood as if she was about to die, he got anxious. Suddenly, a knight entered the banquet hall and ran towards Caville. He reported the outside situation. ¡°They¡¯re here? At this time of the day?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Grace!¡± A deep furrow ran across Caville¡¯s forehead. He was clearly irritated. Elody stared at Caville and asked, ¡°Caville, what is it happening?¡± ¡°Wife, the people from the Temple of Thysser have arrived.¡± ¡°Right now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Elody ordered her maid to tell the princess that she needed to leave for a while. Then, she and Caville left the banquet hall and headed for the entrance of the mansion. ¡°Wife, the wind is cold tonight.¡± Caville ordered his servant to bring Elody¡¯s shawl and then put it on her shoulders. Elody smiled awkwardly after thanking him. Afterward, the two stood next to each other while watching the cavalcade approaching from a distance. The g of the Thysser Temple waved haughtily in the air. After passing the gate, they dismounted as soon as they reached the entrance of the mansion. ¡°I¡¯m delighted to see that the duke has personallye to greet us. My name is Amos, and I am a high priest from the Temple of Thysser,¡± The high priest was a thin man who seemed to be in histe 30s. ¡®Ah¡­ So they sent a high priest.¡¯ When the Temple said they would visit the duchy, Elody predicted that a normal priest woulde. It would not be surprising, since there were less than ten high priests at the temple. It was a position that people would fight over in order to gain power in the Temple and for a normal priest, after gaining favor with Caville, his chances of reaching a higher position would be increasingly more. ¡°This man here is Theodore, he is themander of the pdins,¡± Amos said as the man standing behind him bowed. He was a handsome young man with stunning blond hair and bright green eyes. Then, Elody also gave them a formal greeting. ¡°We¡¯re holding a weing banquet for Princess Larissa at the moment. You can unpack your things and join us at the banquet hall.¡± ¡°Thank you for your kind hospitality, duchess,¡± Amos said. It was strange that such a high-ranking priest could act so polite and formal. However, Elody would soon find out why. ¡°By the way, what are all those things? ¡± Elody asked, surprised at the endless rows of carriages. She wondered if the Temple had also prepared gifts for them. ¡°This is¡­¡± Amos seemed troubled as he cleared his throat a couple of times. ¡°Actually, these are the supplies and letters that the duchess has sent to the battlefield during the past seven years¡­¡± Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody and Caville were speechless. They couldn¡¯t believe his words. High Priest Amos immediately wracked his brain for any excuses that would be usible. ¡°We kept it for security reasons. We sincerely apologize for causing Your Graces to lose contact with each other. However, considering the situation at that time, please try to understand.¡± High Priest Amos braced himself for the worst as Caville looked at the wagons with a menacing stare. That was a huge amount. Caville red at the high priest. Terrified, Amos immediately made a gesture, ordering the other priests toy down the supplies in front of the gate. Even though the space right in front of the gate was full, the priests did not stop moving. And eventually, due tock of space, the supplies began to pile up in the corridor. Caville¡¯s heart felt like it was being ripped to pieces as he stared at the supplies. ¡°¡­¡­¡± However, unlike Caville, Elody was dubious. ¡®Did I send that many¡­?¡¯ The amount was massive¡­ She touched the nape of her neck. ¡°As a token of our apology, please ept thismunication device as a gift from the Temple of Thysser,¡± Amos spoke as politely as possible. Elody¡¯s eyes widened at his words. Amunication device was a divine magic tool that could only be used by high priests and imperial families. She heard that there was an outstanding divine magic tool maker in the Thysser Temple that could make thatmunication device. Like a modern phone, the device made it possible tomunicate with other people over arge distance. High Priest Amos turned to the curious Elody and presented her a small box. ¡°May I ask the duchess to check its contents?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± At his words, Elody carefully opened the box. There were two metal magic tools the size of a palm. The design was so astonishing that they could even be considered as an ancient artifact. ¡°Thank you.¡± Elody truly liked the gift. She was filled with the desire to take it to theb and disassemble it. ¡®I hope I can seed in making magic tools too someday¡­¡¯ Elody also tried to make magic tools, but the results were very sloppy. All of them were for the red ginseng production, but there were tons of drawbacks such as the machine producing a very loud noise or its size being toorge. Elody called in the servants to lead the priests to the guest rooms. ¡°I have told the servants to send your luggage to your room tomorrow, so it would be best for you to go in and take a rest first. ¡°Thank you, duchess.¡± High Priest Amos nced at Caville before following a servant that guided him to his room. Suddenly, the man who introduced himself as themander of the pdins stood in front of Elody. ¡°Your Grace, this is for you as well,¡± he said as he gave another box to Elody. ¡®How did they prepare so many gifts¡­?¡¯ Elody thought as she opened the box. ¡°¡­These are my letters.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Thank you, Sir Theodore. Pleasee inside and make yourself at home.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Theodore looked like he had tons to say, but soon turned around without uttering a single word. After the priests and pdins who put down the supplies went to the guest room, only Caville, Elody, and a few servants were left. ¡°Caville.¡± Elody approached Caville, who had been standing there, staring at the umted boxes. ¡°My wife¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯ste, but at least we got it back¡­¡± ¡°¡­But¡­ I don¡¯t have the heart to forgive the Temple¡¯s actions.¡± At Caville¡¯s resolute words, Elody made an awkward look. She was less angry after receiving the magic tool. ¡°Come on, take this.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville epted the box that Elody handed to him. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Open it.¡± At Elody¡¯s words, Caville opened the box. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The box was full of envelopes. It was an enormous amount. ¡°It would be difficult to read at once. You don¡¯t have to read it because after all, it is already in the past, but¡­ these letters portrayed the feelings that I had wanted to tell you back then.¡± ¡°Wife¡­¡± Caville reached out and squeezed Elody¡¯s hand. Elody stared at Caville¡¯s intense gaze with a perplexed expression. ¡°I¡­ Wife¡­¡± All of a sudden, Marie approached the two. ¡°Your Grace, the people from the Temple said that they wanted to rest. What should we do with the banquet?¡± ¡°Wrap it up,¡± Caville answered. Caville held Elody¡¯s hand and headed for the stairs. ¡°Caville, wait a minute¡­¡± Elody panicked as she followed Caville up the stairs. He led her to his bedroom. When Caville suddenly barged into the room with his wife, Ifrit, who was lying in bed, jumped up in surprise. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody was puzzled and confused. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll feel better even if I kill all of the temple guys right now.¡± Caville put the box of letters on the table. It seemed that someone had already read it as the seals were ripped off. ¡°Caville, please calm down¡­ take it easy. Alright?¡± Elody approached Caville and stroked his back. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t attack the Temple right now. We could take advantage of this situation.¡± Elody hoped that Caville would not make any enemies after she left. He spent 7 years on the battlefield alone. She just wished he could live a peaceful and happy life after all that¡­ ¡°Caville¡­¡± ¡°¡­Alright, wife,¡± Caville painfully responded. Had it not been for Elody, he would have cut the necks of the priests on the spot. ¡°I need a hug.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Can you hold me, wife? Please?¡± At Caville¡¯s earnest words, Elody was forced to open her arms to him. The two enveloped in an embrace. Elody was in his arms, but Caville felt like he was being held by his wife instead. ¡°Wha¡­ what are you guys doing?¡± Ifrit, who was on the bed, suddenly spoke. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville beckoned Ifrit to leave as he was hugging his wife. ¡°W-wait, Caville¡­ I think I should go down now,¡± Elody said as she pushed his chest and broke the embrace. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the banquet, so you can just take a rest.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± At the end of her words, Elody left the room as if she wanted to run away. ¡°¡­Is it my fault?¡± Ifrit asked while blinking. Caville just stared at the little puppy with an angry expression. Elody quickly left the room and went down the stairs, and then stopped walking. ¡°¡­¡­¡± She took a deep breath and ced her hand on her thumping chest. She felt strange. She couldn¡¯t figure out why being alone with Caville felt so awkward and ufortable. Maybe it was because they had to divorce soon, or maybe it was because they hadn¡¯t seen each other for a long time¡­ Nheless, her heart was pounding like crazy. * * * The banquet was finished after the men from the Temple arrived. As a result, Princess Larissa and Carolina got very heartbroken and went right back to their room. And as the knights left the mansion to return to their lodgings¡­ ¡°What is all this?¡± A huge amount of luggage stopped their tracks. The amount was sorge that it piled up from the first-floor hallway all the way to the entrance of the mansion. The chattering of the knights could be heard throughout the halls. ¡°What the? Are these gifts from the Temple?¡± ¡°It must be for the duke!¡± ¡°They must have finallye to their senses!¡± Furious, Marie blocked their way and shouted, ¡°These are the medicinal supplies that our madame sent to the battlefield for 7 years!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Everyone fell into silence. ¡°What?¡± ¡°All of these?¡± The knights began to murmur at the unexpected words. ¡°The duchess truly cared about the duke! She was worried about him for 7 years!¡± Marie cried, ¡°These, these medicines¡­ she made them all by herself! You have no idea how expensive these are¡­ It¡¯s probably worth a lot more than all of your srybined!!!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Marie sobbed as all of the resentment she had kept hidden had broken free. After the war ended and the knights returned, Marie and other servants had been working very hard to exin to the knights that misunderstood the duchess. However, no matter what she said, the knights wouldn¡¯t listen! They would only say yes to disregarding the truth. In fact, it was irrelevant to them as their thoughts had already been construed in believing what they wanted and nothing else. In particr, the knights who used to be mercenaries were the worst. They had dismissed their exnations as lies and were too busy criticizing the duchess. Suddenly, Brien approached Marie. ¡°M-Marie¡­.¡± Marie gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. ¡°You have no idea how much she¡¯s¡­! How much¡­!¡± ¡®How much pain she¡¯s in¡­!¡¯ The heartache she felt was like an insatiable fire that burnt all the oxygen in her body leaving her listless and empty. However, she couldn¡¯t even confide about it to her lover. Marie wanted to, she truly did. But she had to hold back. The duchess¡¯s secret was something that should never be said. ¡°Would the temple really steal her supplies and letters? It must be a lie.¡± ¡°I mean¡­ it doesn¡¯t really matter anyways. Even if the madame didn¡¯t send any letters, at least she has managed the duchy well.¡± The knights who had secretly held onto such thoughts were proved wrong after seeing therge number of supplies. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Especially the mercenaries who had always been downgrading the duchess, they were speechless and had nothing more to say. ¡°Why are you guys still here?! Hurry up and return to your quarters! Go wash up and sleep, don¡¯t bete for training tomorrow!¡± At Brien¡¯s words, the knights began to rush back to their lodgings. As all the knights started to leave, Brien tried to approach Marie again. ¡°Marie¡­? Please don¡¯t cry, yeah? I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± As Brien tried to close the distance between them¡­ p! Marie pped him hard. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?! Get out of my way!¡± She hissed, not wanting to be hugged by her ex-lover. As Marie pushed Brien away and walked to the entrance, she noticed someone and stopped. ¡°¡­?¡± ¡®Why is he crying¡­?¡¯ After all of the knights went back, there was one man that was standing alone, weeping in tears. ¡°¡­¡­¡± That man was Heinz. Marie passed him, raising her eyebrows as if she had seen something strange. ¡°Sob¡­¡± Heinz was crying much harder than Marie. He sobbed into his hands and the tears dripped between his fingers, raining down onto the ground. ¡°¡­What¡¯s up with you¡­?¡± Brien, who was touching his beaten cheek, also found Heinz in tears. ¡°Ugh. Sobs¡­¡± He began to approach Heinz and asked, ¡°Hey¡­ why are you crying¡­?¡± ¡°Sniff¡­ Sobs¡­¡± But Heinz just kept crying without a single word. That day, no one could understand the reason behind his tears¡­ Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha Caville had been reading Elody¡¯s letters all night long. He read them so slowly that there were still plenty of them left. While watching Caville, Ifrit dozed off beside him. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Tears were coursing down his cheeks. There was no way to stop them from flowing as he read each of the letters. He felt like he was finallyforted after being so lonely in the past 7 years. Elody recorded her daily life as if writing a diary. It was also filled with love and affection for Caville. He was foolish to have thought that a wife like this might have ever forgotten him. Caville felt like his heart was torn apart. He would never feel better even if he ripped all the Temple people to pieces. ¡°¡­¡­¡± But on the one hand, his heart was full of happiness. It was as if he had just received an enormous amount of Elody¡¯s affection pouring out to his entire body like heavy rain. Unfortunately, Caville looked miserable the next morning as his eyes were puffy from crying himself to sleep. ¡°¡­What in the? How the hell did your eyes get so swollen? You look awful,¡± Ifrit spoke. Caville was startled once he looked into the mirror. ¡°¡­¡­¡± As Ifrit said, his eyes were incredibly swollen. ¡®If my wife sees me like this, she will think that I¡¯m ugly¡­¡¯ Caville ordered a servant to bring him some ice. He couldn¡¯t meet his wife looking like this. Sadly, the ice did not get rid of his puffy eyes. Thanks to this, Caville had to avoid Elody throughout the day. He didn¡¯t want to show his swollen eyes, but¡­ For some reason, he felt really shy when he stood in front of his wife. His heart was pounding so loud that he started to wonder if he had heart disease. * * * In another ce¡­ Just like Caville, there was also a man who stayed awakest night. He was Theodore, the Commander of the Pdins from the Temple of Thysser. The reason as to why he couldn¡¯t sleep was also because of Elody¡¯s letter. He was also the leader of the pdins on the battlefield. However, the pdins were fully controlled by the priests of the Temple of Thysser. In particr, the high priests¡¯ words were thew and they were absolute. Theodore was dissatisfied with that, but he never broke their orders. He was originally the second son of a great noble family in the capital. When he volunteered as a pdin, people were shocked. His father was a noble with several titles. It was clear that his second son, Theodore, would be given a lower title. However, Theodore knew. That his father would not give him anything. It waste, but after realizing that, Theodore suddenly volunteered to be a pdin. There were many rumors circted around him, saying that he was insted from his family¡­ and it was unfortunately true. Theodore¡¯s parents were his biological parents, but the couple¡¯s love was directed only to their first son. Theodore, the second son with little resemnce to the couple, was just a puppet for his older brother. Even if his older brother tormented him and hurt him, his parents would never me him. Theodore was ostracized by everyone in the mansion. Nobody took care of him, and even the servants ignored him. After years of neglect and abuse, he grew up having a cold personality that knew no affection. Before bing an adult, Theodore left the family on his own so that he would not be hurt by them anymore. He had never regretted that decision. Theodore, too, once begged for the love of his parents. But he was no longer an innocent boy. He had made up his mind while being isted from my family. He promised himself that he would not be greedy for love and affection. He didn¡¯t want to be hurt by useless hopes and expectations. That was what he thought¡­ Until he saw Elody¡¯s letters. * * * ¡°Ugh, to think that the Temple would arrive at that time of all days. They ruined the banquet!¡± Carolinained as she brushed Larissa¡¯s hair. ¡°It¡¯s all right¡­¡± Princess Larissa was sad, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. Larissa was disappointed that they had to wrap up the banquet earlier than what they had nned, but she was sadder about the fact that she could not speak with the Duke of Cernoir. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Every time Larissa recalled the face of Duke Cernoir, her heart fluttered. Somehow, her feelings for him seemed to be getting deeper and deeper. Although she didn¡¯t ask for this, she couldn¡¯t help but feel that way towards him. She didn¡¯t even hope to marry the duke. ¡®Of course, if that happens, I¡¯ll be very happy¡­¡¯ She just wanted to be close friends. But even when he was close, he still seemed so far away. Like he was out of reach. ¡°Princess, shall we go to see the duchess¡¯s greenhouse today?¡± ¡°But the door is locked.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to open it somehow! There must be evidence there that could reveal the duchess¡¯s evil schemes! If we could reveal her antics, she¡¯ll definitely get divorced by the duke! Right?¡± ¡°¡­But, Carolina¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s so obvious that she¡¯s abusing Olivia!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll just check it out ande back afterwards! Please? If the princess is worried, then I¡¯ll go in there secretly!¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll go with you but we¡¯ll have to get permission first.¡± ¡°Sheesh, will that woman even allow us?¡± ¡°Nothing has been revealed yet, so you shouldn¡¯t doubt her that way.¡± ¡°Princess¡­ You¡¯re sweet but you¡¯re way too soft on other people! If you want to capture the duke¡¯s heart, you have to be more aggressive! Don¡¯t you know that a lot of young girls are also aiming for the duke?¡± ¡°¡­Yes. Well, he¡¯s a very nice guy.¡± ¡°You know what I think? I think that the barons¡¯ granddaughter, Iris, or whatever, came here to seduce the duke as well! So the princess must try harder too! Alright?¡± ¡°But how¡­?¡± ¡°You must tempt him with your beauty! In my eyes, you are the most beautiful woman in the whole wide world.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I actually have a n¡­.¡± Carolina whispered into Princess Larissa¡¯s ear with a cunning smile. At the start, Princess Larissa was curious about her n. But as the maid continued on, Larissa¡¯s face grew redder and redder. * * * Elody took the red pills that wereid in a small tray and gulped it down with a ss of water. She was exhausted because she had been very busy these days. She wanted to lie in bed all day and sleep, but Elody stood firmly on her ground because she wanted to do something. ¡°Anna, do you know what this is?¡± ¡°What is it, madame?¡± ¡°This is a sacred magic tool. Have you heard of it?¡± ¡°Wow, is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, and right now¡­ I¡¯m going to dismantle it.¡± ¡°What? Something so precious?¡± Elody grinned as if she were dying from happiness. Making a magic tool was definitely in her bucket list. She thought she would never be able to see it because only the imperial family and high priests could have it¡­ When the Temple gave her themunication tool as a gift, Elody¡¯s heart sang for joy. She wanted to disassemble and study it as soon as possible. Elody opened a drawer and pulled out arge bottle of blue reagent. Then she started pouring it into arge basin. The reagent was a substance that could lower the binding magic power and eliminate any toxins in medicinal herbs. This reagent solution was used to break down herbs that were made by mixing various effects. A drop of it could also dissolve the poison from toxic herbs. It was easy to make, but it, unfortunately, had little to no use. ¡®I¡¯ve made a lot of them just in case, and look! It turned out to be quite useful.¡¯ Elody soaked the sacred magic tool into the basin. After one minute, she took it out and wiped it with a towel. ¡°It¡¯s finished.¡± After confirming that the bond had been weakened, Elody cut the magic tool in half without hesitation. Then, she disassembled the pieces of metal and started studying the coding structure of the mana which was written in an ancientnguage. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Anna didn¡¯t know how to do magic, so she could only stare at her in wonder. It looked like she broke it¡­ However, she was very serious about studying the magic tool. Elody began to write down the codes on a nk piece of paper. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Anna quietly stepped back. Elody seemed so focused. So she didn¡¯t want to disturb her. But suddenly¡­ Bang bang! Someone started pounding on the door from the outside. Anna put her arms on her chest in anger and shock. ¡°¡­What the?¡± Elody raised her head in confusion. ¡°I¡¯ll go check it out, madame.¡± At Anna¡¯s words, Elody grabbed her pen again and began to write. Elody was someone who could not be bothered once she started doing her research. ¡°Who in the world¡­?¡± Anna opened theb door and came out to see the person who knocked on the door. The people standing at the door were none other than Princess Larissa, Carolina, and Olivia. ¡°As expected! Knocking from this door works!¡± Carolina eximed. Then, she arrogantly asked, ¡°Why is the door to the greenhouse over there locked?¡± ¡°¡­We don¡¯t use that door at all. The greenhouse only uses the back door.¡± ¡°The back door? Then open the back door!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Anna was dumbfounded by her impudence. She red at Carolina with furious eyes. Olivia had been standing behind the princess the whole time. She just shrugged as if this was how the rude maid acted everytime. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t. The greenhouse is full of rare nts for madame¡¯s research.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Are you sure she¡¯s not hiding something strange? Why can¡¯t you show it to the princess? Don¡¯t you know that she is the emperor¡¯s niece?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± She was being ridiculous. Anna stared at Princess Larissa that stood next to Carolina. ¡°¡­I want to see the greenhouse, can you please show me?¡± Princess Larissa said kindly. Larissa actually didn¡¯t want to do this. However, as Carolina had said before, it would be a big deal if the duchess was actually hiding something strange. As the emperor¡¯s niece, if the duchess was exploiting her servants, it was her duty to uncover the truth. ¡°¡­I will ask the madame first.¡± Anna eventually turned to Elody. ¡°See, princess! I told you it would work!¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Carolinaughed with excitement. Olivia, who had been silent the whole time, cursed at Carolina in her heart. Yesterday, Carolina pretended to follow Olivia all the way to the bathroom. Because of the wounds on her body, Olivia hated bathing with other maids. That¡¯s why she usually bathed alone when the others weren¡¯t using it. Unexpectedly, Carolina was spying on her. In the end, she managed to outrun Carolina and took a bath alone, but Olivia was still offended. It was because Carolina seemed to be curious about the wounds on her body and acted so rudely about it. Olivia was irritated. ¡°Madame, the princess wants to see the greenhouse¡­¡± Anna said. ¡°¡­Is that so? Alright. I¡¯ll guide her myself.¡± Elody put down her pen and rose from her seat. As Elody walked to the entrance, Anna pouted her lips. Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha Elody guided the princess inside. ¡°This is myb, and this is the greenhouse.¡± ¡°Wow, this is theb? It¡¯s astonishing,¡± Princess Larissa said as she looked around theb. On the other hand, Carolina was scanning the room to see if there was anything suspicious. ¡°The greenhouse is this way,¡± Anna pointed at the door leading to the greenhouse with a stern look on her face. Princess Larissa and Carolina then headed for the greenhouse. ¡°Wow¡­ it¡¯s lovely,¡± Larissa eximed. As soon as she entered the greenhouse, the aromas of fresh grass lingered around the air. ¡°It¡¯s full of nts that I¡¯ve never seen before in my entire life, princess!¡± Carolina said. Then, Elody exined what each of the nts was, from the herbs that grew in the mountains, ginseng, wheat, and even the peach seeds. She was genuinely proud of her research. Meanwhile, Princess Larissa stopped when she saw an area full of beautiful flowers. ¡°Oh my god! What is this flower, princess? It¡¯s the first I¡¯ve ever seen this before¡­¡± Carolina pointed at the flower with a curious look. ¡°It¡¯s the Aperia¡­ right?¡± Princess Larissa asked, smiling. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right,¡± Elody nodded. The Aperia flower was a flower that only appeared on the eastern continent. Its stem was like the hue of spring grass, and its brilliant blue petals were so thin that even the air, made dim by the plumes of debris and smoke, could shine through them, bestowing an unearthly glow. It also had a sweet fragrance that could prevent pests froming near it. Also, the stem of the flower could be used as a hemostatic agent. Elody thought of nting the Aperia flowers in the pink rose garden after giving them to Iris. She wanted to use the stem as a hemostatic agent since it could be useful in the future. Plus, the seeds of the Aperia flower were provided by Sirka himself. ¡°I thought I would never see it again¡­.¡± Princess Larissa began to cry. When she still lived in the Castle of Dayev, the greenhouse she kept with her mother was full of Aperia flowers. As her mother loved the Aperia flowers, Princess Larissa grew to love them as well. However, after the Empire of Urta colonized the empire, the greenhouse was burned, and the beautiful castle was also demolished. It was impossible to reconstruct the castle back. That was one reason why Princess Larissa did not want to return to the Dayev Empire. ¡®I thought I wouldn¡¯t be able to see the Aperia flowers again but to see it again in such a distant ce¡­ ¡® Princess Larissa loved this greenhouse very much. The duchess¡¯ greenhouse was much broader and better than the greenhouse she had with her mother. If she nted all the Aperia flowers in this spacious greenhouse, it would surely be as beautiful as her mother¡¯s greenhouse. ¡°You seem to like the Aperia flowers.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ it¡¯s a flower that my mother loved.¡± Elody picked a few flowers and handed them to Princess Larissa. Princess Larissa dly epted. Then she asked carefully. ¡°Well, the duchess. Can Ie to see the greenhouse again next time?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Well, the greenhouse is not always open. So please tell me through the maid, and I will guide you again.¡± At Elody¡¯s words, Princess Larissa slightly raised her eyebrows. ¡°Why isn¡¯t it always open?¡± Larissa¡¯s mother had always opened the castle¡¯s greenhouse for everyone to see. Because of that, Princess Larissa could not understand the duchess. ¡®Why don¡¯t you want other people to see the greenhouse? Is there any other reason?¡¯ ¡°Well¡­ I have a puppy running around the entire castle. The ginseng field is locked so that it doesn¡¯t step on it.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Larissa had never seen the puppy during her stay in the castle. ¡®She¡¯s obviously lying¡­ ¡® Princess Larissa thought that her assumption was right. ¡®Wouldn¡¯t it be nice if I could stay in this greenhouse all day¡­¡¯ Princess Larissa wanted to smell the flowers there all day long. She would be so happy to drink tea while recalling the memories she had with her mother¡­ ¡°Princess, I¡¯m sorry, but there¡¯s research that I have to continue working on. I¡¯ll show you more next time.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, duchess. Thank you.¡± After returning to theb with Elody, Princess Larissa paused and looked around. ¡°Can I also look around theb¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, you may,¡± Elody shortly replied. As Princess Larissa looked around the room, she stopped to see the magic tools on her desk. ¡®This is a divine magic tool from the Temple of Thysser¡­.¡¯ It was amunication device used only by the imperial family and high priests. Larissa had never used it herself, but she had seen the emperor use it. ¡®But why¡­.¡¯ Seeing the divine magic tool that was in pieces, Princess Larissa held her breath. Suddenly¡­ ¡°What is this? Argh!¡± Carolina spilled a ss beaker while looking at the herbs that had been dried on one side of the room. Carolina screamed after seeing the unknown liquid on her arm. ¡°It¡¯s weird, princess! Ahh! It¡¯s a strange poison!¡± ¡°It¡¯s just water¡­¡± Elody replied kindly. Carolina, who was making a fuss, widened her eyes at her words. Then, she whispered to Princess Larissa¡¯s ears. ¡°Princess¡­ she¡¯s lying. It must be the tears of the servants.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Princess Larissa nced at Elody with a tense look. It was definitely possible. She destroyed the divine magic tool¡­ she locked the greenhouse and also¡­ Carolina grumbled and wiped her arm with the handkerchief that Anna handed over. And then¡­ Something came into Princess Larissa¡¯s sight. As she reached out her hand to the suspicious piece of paper¡­ Tak¡ª! But Olivia¡¯s hand was faster. She grabbed Princess Larissa¡¯s wrist. ¡°How could you touch it so carelessly¡­¡± ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Carolina pped Olivia¡¯s hands away from Larissa¡¯s wrist. ¡®I have to punish her for this,¡¯ Carolina thought. She thought that it would be best for her to educate the maid in front of the duchess. ¡°Olivia, we¡¯ve been taking care of you all this time, but how dare you grab the princess¡¯s hand?!¡± Carolina raised her hand and tried to p Olivia¡¯s cheek. The servants of the imperial pce were usually beaten for bad behavior and were strictly educated. She knew that Olivia had lots of injuries and wounds already, but Carolina thought,¡¯Is this how the duchess and maids scolded her for being so spoiled?¡¯ She wanted to test that, so she tried to p her. When Carolina raised her hand, Olivia curled up in surprise. Her father and brother had abused Olivia for a long time, so she would remember her trauma when someone raised their hand towards her. Suddenly. Elody blocked Olivia from harm¡¯s way by gripping Carolina¡¯s hand as she was about to strike. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Not knowing that the duchess would stop her, Carolina immediately lowered her hand and hid behind the princess. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, duchess,¡± Princess Larissa said, concealing Carolina on her back. ¡°That¡¯s alright. But, from now on, it seems that Olivia will not be able to take care of the princess anymore. From my point of view, that maid from the imperial pce will be enough¡­.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, I got it,¡± Princess Larissa replied, but Carolina was dissatisfied. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Carolina,¡± Princess Larissa stared at her as if it was alright. Elody sighed and asked, ¡°No, princess. Carolina? Tell me. What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t it right to educate servants who are impudent by at least smacking them?¡± The duchess was abusing the servants and making magic potions with their tears¡­ ¡®But now she¡¯s trying to cover for her?!¡¯ Carolina thought that the duchess pretending to protect Olivia was absurd. That¡¯s why she was able to confidently ask even if she was a bit afraid. Elody replied firmly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we never educate the servants that way. It¡¯s difficult to apply the rules of the imperial pce in this mansion¡­¡± Princess Larissa looked at Elody with anxious eyes. In her eyes, she felt as though Elody would oust Carolina at any moment. She didn¡¯t want that to happen, so she decided to step up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, duchess. Please don¡¯t me Carolina anymore!¡± ¡®I¡¯m not even angry¡­¡¯ When Princess Larissa put it that way, Elody was embarrassed. It was as if she was the bad one. Elody stared at Princess Larissa, looking at her with worried eyes, and said to Anna, ¡°Anna, take Olivia to the mansion.¡± ¡°Yes, madame.¡± Anna hugged Olivia and left theb with growing resentment towards the princess and her atrocious maid. A heavy silence fell for a while. Then, Princess Larissa asked without thinking, ¡°But, duchess¡­ What are you hiding?¡± ¡°Hiding?¡± ¡°The moment I was trying to check the paper, Olivia grabbed my arm. Is there something that you¡¯re hiding?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Olivia simply hated that the princess touched Elody¡¯s things. And so, Elody handed the paper to the princess. ¡°¡­¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t anything much. It was just a piece of paper that she wrote for her research. ¡°Check it yourself.¡± Elody handed the paper to Princess Larissa, and the princess checked the writing with a serious expression. ¡°¡­This is in the ancientnguage.¡± But Larissa couldn¡¯t read a single letter. It was because they were all written in ancientnguages. ¡°Yes, this is a study on magical drugs.¡± ¡°¡­I see. I¡¯m sorry for doubting you, duchess.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Elody had a headache. ¡®How the hell did ite to this¡­?¡¯ She recalled the details of the original novel, but she couldn¡¯t remember whether there was a maid with such a terrible personality beside Larissa, the heroine. She was tired. She just wanted to study the magic tools quickly¡­ Unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t get rid of the female protagonist because she would eventually be the mansion owner. However, it would be difficult for the other maids to continue serving Larissa as her maid would condemn the rest of the servants in the mansion. ¡®To try and p another maid in front of the princess¡­¡¯ It was ridiculous. She would never let a maid like her reside in the mansion. After Elody left, she didn¡¯t just want Caville to be happy. She wanted the servants to live a blissful life as well. Therefore, she could never condone acts, such as bullying in the mansion. While she was deep in her thoughts, Princess Larissa suddenly spoke to Elody, ¡°Well, duchess. If you don¡¯t mind, can I ask for a request?¡± ¡°¡­What is it?¡± ¡°Can you teach me the ancientnguage?¡± Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha ¡°Ancientnguage?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a bit¡­¡± Elody mumbled. The ancientnguage was not something that anyone could learn. Only individuals born with a strong affinity for mana could master thenguage. ¡°Do you have an affinity for mana, princess?¡± Based on her knowledge from the book, Larissa was not a mage. However, Elody¡¯s memories had begun to fade; thus, she decided to ask her to rify things. ¡°¡­No. Can¡¯t I learn thenguage without having to be a mage?¡± Princess Larissa asked, frowning. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that you will not be able to understand anything¡­¡± Larissa¡¯s expression was full of disappointment. She somehow made Elody feel bad. ¡°.¡­I see. Then, does the duke know how to speak the ancientnguage as well? I¡¯ve seen him use mana on the battlefield¡­.¡± ¡°Yes, that is correct.¡± ¡°Ah, as expected of him.¡± Princess Larissa wanted to learn ancientnguages so that she could understand the contents of the paper. ¡®Is there really nothing suspicious written on it?¡¯ She also wanted to form a rtionship with the Duke of Cernoir through learning the ancientnguage. ¡®If I knew how to speak the ancientnguage, I would have been able to get closer to him¡­¡¯ Larissa was full of regrets. ¡°Princess! Then you can learn from the duke!¡± Carolina said while side-eyeing the duchess. She was utterly shameless, dissolute when it came to her non-existent manners. The duchess had just scolded her, yet she still dared to act so impudently. ¡°¡­¡­¡± And Princess Larissa, too, was unexpectedly surprised by the words of her maid. She then proceeded to pinch Carolina at the waist. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have said that¡­¡± Princess Larissa said, her face seemingly troubled. Meanwhile, Elody was appalled. ¡®That¡¯s not it¡­¡¯ It was not as if she didn¡¯t want to teach her thenguage. It was just that the princess would never be able to learn it because she didn¡¯t have the affinity for mana. However, this maid spoke as if Elody refused the princess because she didn¡¯t want to teach her, because of selfish reasons! Even if she were to ask Caville, he wouldn¡¯t be able to teach her either. Not in a million years! To break the awkward atmosphere, Princess Larissa spoke, ¡°Anyway¡­ Thank you for showing me the greenhouse, duchess. I¡¯lle to see you again next time.¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± Thus, Elody saw the two off out of courtesy. Truth to be told, she didn¡¯t want them toe again. She was already running out of time. She certainly didn¡¯t want to be disturbed by anyone while doing her research. ¡®¡­Why are they doing this?¡¯ Princess Larissa bothered her as she acted a bit¡­ odd. It was weird. Certainly weird. * * * As the twodies left the greenhouse, Princess Larissa had a lot to say. ¡°The greenhouse was splendid.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it? But thatb was so suspicious! Did Princess Larissa notice it too?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Larissa didn¡¯t say a single word, but she did not deny it either. Up until now, she thought that Carolina was just too wary of her. A groundless suspicion. However¡­ The locked doors to the greenhouse, the broken magic tool on the table¡­ It was hard for her not to feel skeptical. As a member of the imperial family, it was only her duty to investigate the duchess a little more. To do that, he needed the help of Count DeFore, who came with her to the duchy. On the way back to the manor, Princess Larissa looked up at the beautiful, enormous mansion. ¡®I wish I could continue living here¡­¡¯ In more ways than one, this ce reminded her of her old home. The Imperial Castle of Dayev. The mansion was like a castle. It loomed proudly behind the silver gates, nked by rows of trees crowned in green, swaying gently over the warm wind. The servants were wonderful, and the knights were friendly, their smiles filled with only the most genuine of kindness. But above all, Larissa loved the duchess¡¯s greenhouse the most. Of course, the princess dearly missed her home, but she had no thoughts of going back for the castle had already decayed. Or rather, it was destroyed by the Urtans. The bricks had crumbled, and the windows gave in to the winds long before. Inside the rooms, the halls, the kitchensid burnt furniture. The oak floorsy strewn with leaves, debris, and ashes, and the roof let in more rain than it kept out. Inparison, the staircase swept up toward an uppernding that had fallen away. The ce she had once called home was trampled upon, and could no longer be reconstructed. And the greenhouse she loved most¡­ was burned without any traces of its former beauty. Suppose she were to return to her old castle. She would only feel sadness, emptiness, and loneliness. The terror she felt when the Urtans had invaded the castle¡­ she would only be reminded of that misery. And so¡­ that ce had be nothing but a distant memory for the princess who longed for a ce she could call home sincerely. Therefore, this mansion was different. It made her feel safe and weed. It was as if she had returned to her old home¡­ But most of all, the Duke of Cernoir was here. ¡®If possible¡­ I would like to live in this ce my whole life.¡¯ Princess Larissa nced at the mansion one more time before heading inside with Carolina. * * * ¡°Were you crying?¡± Caville, who had been hiding from Elody all day, asked Heinz. ¡°¡­N-no¡­ did leader, I-I mean, Your Grace cry as well?¡± Heinz, who was busy hiding his swollen eyes, also asked in surprise after seeing Caville¡¯s face. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The two looked at each other¡¯s puffy eyes silently. ¡®Do I look as ugly as him?! I couldn¡¯t have, could I¡­?¡¯ Caville, being as nervous as he was, pulled out a palm-sized hand mirror from his pocket and stared at himself. He had used ice that morning to reduce the puffiness. Therefore, it wasn¡¯t as swollen as Heinz. ¡°Wha¡­ why is Your Grace carrying a mirror?¡± ¡°None of your business,¡± Caville spoke coldly. There were many things that Heinz wanted to say, but he simply could not say it. Or rather, he wasn¡¯t allowed to. ¡°What are you still doing here? Get out.¡± Heinz put down the papers he had brought on top of the table and immediately left the office. And when he was going down the stairs¡­ ¡°¡­!¡± Heinz stopped when he found the duchess passing by in the distance. ¡°Darn it¡­¡± As soon as he saw the Duchess, the tears began to well up in his eyes again. ¡®Argh! I¡¯m going crazy¡­ ¡® Heinz took out a handkerchief from his bosom. It was the handkerchief that the duchess had given to him before. Heinz washed the handkerchief that had been stained with blood. He had tried to return it to the duchess countless times, but he kept using it whenever he cried, so he had no opportunity to give it back. If Caville had seen the handkerchief, he would have flipped and asked where it came from. Heinz, who waspletely unaware of the fact, pressed the edge of his eyes with the handkerchief. Then shoved it back to his bosom. Strangely, he felt an immense amount of pity for the duchess and cried whenever he remembered her. Heinz stood on the stairs and stared at the servants who were carrying a pile of goods. It was a shockinglyrge amount. Heinz was ufortable because there were so many misunderstandings he had about the duchess. ¡®She must have cared for the leader a lot¡­¡¯ The duchess had never forgotten the leader for thest seven years. Not even for a single moment. That¡¯s why she sent so many supplies. As the misunderstandings were resolved, he quickly changed sides. Heinz wanted to apologize directly to the duchess for the horrible things he had said about her. But he couldn¡¯t. ¡®Pardon me, duchess, no¡­ madame. N-not long ago, I cursed at you and had a deep hatred towards you because of a misunderstanding. I¡¯m terribly sorry.¡¯ It was impossible to say this to her! After witnessing the duchess vomiting blood, Heinz began to sympathize with her. And yesterday, the moment the misunderstandings were cleared, his guilt andpassion blew up like a volcano, and his tears just poured out like a waterfall. If anyone were the most concerned about themander for seven years, it would have been the duchess. ¡®And that was probably why¡­¡¯ She noticed it toote. So was his dead sister. His sister was more concerned about Heinz more than anyone else. His dead sister was very caring. She was worried about him all her life and loved him more than she loved herself. That¡¯s why she only learned about her sickness after it was toote. Thus, leaving Heinz in despair and loneliness. He could only watch his one and only sister who devoted her everything to him, as she rotted away in bed, waiting for the time when she would be taken away from him. He could finally understand why the other knights defended the duchess so much. ¡®Oh, sh*t¡­ The tears areing out again.¡¯ Was his tear ducts broken? The feelings raged out of him like a storm. He tried to pull himself together, yet he was struck with so much sadness that the tears kepting in such generous streams. Yesterday, after returning to his quarters, Heinz drank alcohol with his men. And unsurprisingly, he drank a lot. ¡°In the future, if anyone here talks badly about the duchess, I will kill you on the spot. Okay?¡± ¡°Captain, what¡¯s wrong with you all of a sudden? Are you mad?¡± ¡°Tsk! You little¡­ you won¡¯t answer my question?!¡± ¡°¡­U-understood.¡± The knights replied while trembling in fear. Their misunderstanding with the duchess had also been resolved. However, they were still hoping that the lord would marry the princess. On the other hand, Heinz was no longer supporting the princess. That preposterous thought was long gone. It had disappeared without a trace as if it was never there to begin with. ¡®I change my mind so quickly that I can¡¯t even believe myself.¡¯ Now that he knew of the duchess¡¯s illness, he was more desperate to think that she should be happy with the leader. ¡®Wouldn¡¯t it be so pitiful if the duchess dies like this?¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­¡± Heinz fell into thought for a moment and hurried into the barracks. And he ordered his knights to help the servants carry the boxes immediately. * * * Late at night that day¡­ Princess Larissa wore a white chemise dress and headed to the garden behind the mansion. ¡°Will the duke be here¡­?¡± The reason why she went for a walk thiste-night was because of Carolina¡¯s advice. ¡°Princess, I grabbed a servant who was passing by and asked her about the duke! He usually walks in the garden every night.¡± ¡°Every night? Why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know! Though I think it¡¯s a perfect opportunity for you, princess!¡± Carolina dressed Larissa in a sky-white chemise, braided her hair gracefully to one side, and put her on light makeup. ¡°Can I really see the duke?¡± Princess Larissa asked, blushing. ¡°Of course! You¡¯vee all the way here, so you should have a proper conversation! I¡¯m sure that he would fall in love with you, princess!¡± At her words, Princess Larissa felt confident. It would be great if she could be lovers with the Duke of Cernoir, but she at least wanted them to be friends if that didn¡¯t work. ¡®To do that, we have to talk.¡¯ She had never even had a chance to talk ever since she arrived. And as Carolina said, it was possible that the duchess might be interfering with her affairs. Ever since that day at the greenhouse. Her suspicion began to grow as she kept doubting the duchess¡¯s true intentions. Tomorrow, she was nning to call Count DeFore to discuss it in detail. Larissa slowly headed towards the center of the beautiful flower garden. The garden which she saw that night was more beautiful than she could ever imagine. ¡®How stunning¡­¡¯ The flowers were bathed in the moonlight, and the pale purple petals were wet with dew. Princess Larissa took a flower and breathed into the fragrance slowly with an ecstatic expression. She was somehow relieved by the subtle scent. Surprisingly¡­ Someone had been watching Princess Larissa. Princess Larissa, a silver-haired princess in a white dress underneath the moonlight. She looked like a forest fairy from a fairy tale. The man was captivated by the beautiful sight before him. Chapter 60 Chapter 60 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha Princess Larissa recalled the conversation she had with Carolina that day. ¡®I¡¯ll spruce you up more beautifully than ever for tonight! For you must have a deep conversation with the duke!¡¯ ¡°¡­Will the duke really like me?¡± ¡°Absolutely! Who would even dare to reject you, Princess? You are blessed with the beauty of an angel. You might even have your first romantic kiss underneath the moonlight!¡± ¡°Wh-wha¡­?¡± At Carolina¡¯s words, Larissa could feel the warmth of the blush as it crawled up her neck. Princess Larissa admired the flowers as she waited for the duke. ¡®Can I really meet the duke¡­?¡¯ She waited there until dawn. Unfortunately, the Duke of Cernoir never appeared¡­ * * * The next day¡­ Knock-knock! ¡°Madame, it¡¯s Norman.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± The butler proceeded to enter the room with a troubled expression. But before Elody could ask why two other people appeared from behind. It was Baron Vendos and Baron Bernard. ¡°Your Grace!¡± The two barons knelt in front of Elody. ¡°¡­What is this¡­?¡± Elody asked, confused. Norman sighed. The barons had begged him to let them meet the duchess. However, he didn¡¯t expect them to act like this. ¡°Oh no, why are you doing this? Please stand up.¡± Elody told them to get up, but the two barons continued to kneel. They even rubbed their palms together and started crying. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody exchanged nces with Norman, wondering if these people were crazy. Momentster, the two barons calmed themselves down. Then, they sat on the sofa and began to confide their worries to Elody. ¡°We don¡¯t want to separate from our family, madame¡­ Please forgive us¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all right¡­¡± The two Barons came to Elody after having stood on the edge of a cliff. The promised date was approaching. In a few weeks, they would have to leave for the Forest of Death. They had tried using Iris to save themselves, but Iris wasn¡¯t interested in the duke. She only kept looking for a man with pink hair. Thanks to that, the two barons were upied with investigating Count Mcir¡¯s children. But they couldn¡¯t tell that to the duchess. Their goal now was to avoid offending the duchess and to get on her good side. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody was anxious. ¡°I apologize, but it¡¯s already been decided by the duke. I¡¯m afraid that I cannot do anything about it¡­¡± ¡°Please have mercy! Your Grace is the only one who can save us!¡± ¡°Yes! Please forgive our sins and tell His Grace the Duke to take pity on us¡­!¡± The two barons cried, saying that they didn¡¯t want to separate from their family again. They also said that they did not want to die in the forest, like the vassals who did not participate in the war. Eventually, Elodyforted them, saying that she would discuss the topic with the duke before sending them back. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Still, she was overloaded with stress. Elody sighed and stared out the window. She felt like she was trapped in a maze. Elody was ufortable with Caville, and Princess Larissa was bothering her. She couldn¡¯t figure out why her heart was doing this or why she was feeling this way. * * * After a long time, Elody finally went out to the field again with the maids. She wanted to be healed by digging for herbs in the field without thinking about anything else. Thus, they were currently harvesting the herbs on the field, and Olivia was the most excited of them all. ¡°Madame, is this a weed or a spirit grass?¡± Olivia asked. Elody replied yfully, ¡°You¡¯ll know if you eat it.¡± Olivia put a handful of weeds in her mouth. Startled by her bizarre actions, Elody blocked Olivia¡¯s mouth. ¡°If you eat so much, you might pass out because of its bitter taste.¡± ¡°¡­I can even drink poison if madame tells me to do it.¡± Annaughed at Olivia¡¯s words. ¡°I¡­ can also drink a little bit of poison, but¡­ do I really have to?¡± Sylvia said in a quivering voice. Elody chuckled at the two maids¡¯ cute responses. ¡°Olivia¡­ please don¡¯t do terrifying things.¡± ¡°But I¡­¡± Suddenly¡­ The big sound of a horn came from a distance. ¡°Looks like the lord is back!¡± Anna raised her body and looked at the distance with a gleeful expression. Caville went out from dawn every day and patrolled the estate with the knights. It was only his duty as the monsters that came from the Forest of Death had started appearing in other forests. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody stood up as she watched the procession passing through the city gate from a distance. She didn¡¯t want Caville to see her here doing nothing, so she thought of going back to theb as soon as possible. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go back.¡± ¡°Madame, are we leaving already? Let¡¯s y a while more while he¡¯s here!¡± ¡°No, let¡¯s go quickly. Hurry up!¡± Elody hastened the other maids. Marie, who had been lying down and taking a nap, frowned as Elody dragged her hand. * * * ¡°Oh, Princess. Look over there. It¡¯s the duchess!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± At Carolina¡¯s words, Larissa stared out the window. Elody was returning to the mansion while crossing arms with the maids. It looked like she had just gone for a stroll. Carolinaughed. ¡°Hmm, it looks as if she¡¯s close with the maids.¡± It looked like that in Larissa¡¯s eyes. Somehow, the rumor that the duchess abused the servants and then collected their tears to make medicine seemed to be false. However, the wound on Olivia¡¯s body was still suspicious. ¡®¡­¡­¡¯ Princess Larissa remembered her past as she saw Elody¡¯s friendship with the maids. During her peaceful days at Dayev Castle, Princess Larissa was also intimate with the maids. Larissa shook her head, feeling a strange sense of loss. Princess Larissa was determined to investigate the duchess. And so, she called Count DeFore to consult with him. ¡°If she dares to destroy the divine magic tool as soon as she receives it, then High Priest Amos won¡¯t stand still.¡± ¡°Can I ask High Priest Amos to investigate theb as well?¡± At the words of Princess Larissa, Count DeFore nodded. ¡°Of course! I will go and talk to him on your behalf.¡± Count DeFore immediately went to High Priest Amos. As soon as he heard the news, the high priest was startled and said he would immediately investigate the case. Thus, he went to the duchess. ¡°Good afternoon, Your Grace. May I check the divine magic tool that the Temple gave you again? There might be something wrong with themunication device. I think I should inspect it¡­¡± Priest Amos said with a troubled expression. He didn¡¯t want to go against the duke nor the duchess, but if it was true that the magic tool was destroyed, it could pose a great deal of trouble. Elody then ordered a servant to bring themunication device from theb. After checking all the mana codes yesterday, she restored it to its original state. ¡°¡­Ah, turns out that there¡¯s nothing wrong with the magic tool. I apologize for taking your time, Your Grace,¡± Priest Amos apologized, brimming with cold sweat. ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°That Count DeFore, why would he do this for no reason¡­?¡± Before leaving Elody¡¯s office, High Priest Amos made a slip of the tongue. And Elody heard it clearly. ¡®Count DeFore is one of the princess¡¯s envoys¡­¡¯ Elody¡¯s expression darkened. * * * High Priest Amos returned to the amodation with an unpleasant expression. There was no doubt that the imperial government purposely tried to sabotage them. ¡®They want to ruin the rtionship between the duke and the Temple! How ridiculous¡­¡¯ Even though Amos was a high-ranking priest, he came directly to this ce to get closer to the Duke of Cernoir. ¡®Though it¡¯s tough because of the supplies we stole for seven years¡­¡¯ He had to calm the duke very carefully as if he was walking on thin ice. However, the emperor¡¯s envoys kept interfering with his ns! The Great War of Thysser did praise Princess Larissa since she returned the relics of the Temple, but that was it. The Duke of Cernoir, who used the power of the spirits, was much more important than an ancient relic. It was evident that the emperor was trying to get the duke under his wing using the princess. At present, there was bad blood between the Temple and the Imperial Government. Both were wary of each other and wanted to steal the duke for themselves. Thus, High Priest Amos and Count DeFore kept each other in check while trying to buy the duke¡¯s favor. ¡®But do they really have to interfere in such a childish way? Those cheeky bastards¡­¡¯ Unlike the emperor who thought that the duke would divorce his wife, High Priest Amos¡¯s opinion was totally different. After scanning the duchess¡¯s supplies and letters that she sent for seven years, he was sure that the duke would never divorce her. Hence, they nned to win the duke¡¯s favor with the second seal of the temple. They had to get his support to keep the empire in check. And if they failed to get the duke¡¯s political support¡­ There was also a n to take away his ¡®power¡¯, which would leave him powerless. They had ¡®the thing¡¯, so it was possible. But, there was also another way. It was to gain the duchess¡¯s favor. The Temple had been keeping the duchess under surveince since several years ago. Elody wasn¡¯t from the tower and had excellent magic skills at a young age. Since an uneducated sorcerer is capable of that level, the possibility of hiding her identity could not be ruled out. Until recently, Elody was the most-watched figure in the temple. And if they also failed to win her favor¡­ Then, they would have no choice but to use ¡®the thing¡¯ as well¡­ * * * After the priest returned, Elody observed the documents. Yesterday, Princess Larissa went to look around theb with her, and it seemed as if she was inspecting the disassembledmunication device on her desk. Also, her gaze was full of suspicion when Elody told her that she couldn¡¯t teach her the ancientnguage. And today, Priest Amos came to ask her about themunication device! ¡®Is she suspicious of me¡­?¡¯ Her heart sank. ¡®But why¡­?¡¯ Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha Elody left her office. The princess gave her quite the headache. Thus, she decided to go to the greenhouse to get some fresh air. As she was about to go down the stairs, she collided with someone. ¡°¡­..!¡± ¡°Apologies, is Your Grace alright?¡± She lifted her head to see the man¡¯s face. ¡®Blonde hair¡­¡¯ It was Theodore, themander of the pdins. ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± she replied. Without uttering another word, Elody proceeded to go down the stairs after giving him a slight bow. Theodore stared at her back for a long time. He had wanted to see her, but it was tough for him to strike up a conversation. For the past seven years, Theodore had been holding onto the letters that the messenger sent to him. Under the direct orders of the high priest, Theodore was instructed to examine the documents that were sent to the battlefield for reasons. At first, he didn¡¯t think of anything when he read the letters. But as the amount piled up even as the duke had never given back a reply. The letters still came, and it never stopped. And it wasn¡¯t just the letters! She also sent numerous supplies such as painkillers, medicine, and even winter garments. The Temple had long known that Elody was a mage. Thus, the high priest had also told him to confiscate everything that she had sent. ¡®Is it really alright for me to be doing this¡­?¡¯ Theodore felt uneasy. The duchess had written the letters with her heart and soul, so it was only fair for the duke to read them. And as he kept reading the contents, his guilt grew bigger and bigger. However, it would be difficult for him to deliver the letters to the duke without being caught by his supervisors, more so because he was themander of the pdins who drew the attention of all high ranking officials. Still, his heart felt heavy. The letters were very personal, so he thought that he shouldn¡¯t show it to anyone else. Yet, every time a new one arrived, he would not hesitate to read them. ¡®Will another lettere¡­?¡¯ Unknowingly, Theodore began anticipating the arrival of Elody¡¯s letters. It was strange. He felt guilty and burdened, yet, whenever he read those letters. It felt as if she had sent these letters of evesting affection solely for him. However, he knew what the truth was¡­ and the truth was that she cared for the Duke of Cernoir¡­ not him. As time passed by, he started thinking about Elody. What kind of person was she? Why did she care so much about the duke? Why did he keep anticipating the arrival of her letters? What was this feeling? And after a while, he realized what it was¡­ ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have done this¡­¡¯ It was envy. He was jealous. He was downright envious of her love for the duke. Theodore recalled his past¡­ When he was young, he had never had a happy childhood. Those memories were only filled with feelings of envy towards his older brother. And the only thing he could recall about his family was the cold res they gave him. It was as if they looked down on him. As if they had never loved him. Theodore knew that reading the letters any further would only make him remember things that he didn¡¯t want. But he still had to read the letters because it was an order from the Temple. Thus, he tried to get a grip on himself and read the letters without involving personal feelings or emotions. Or at least¡­ he tried to. He tried really hard to suppress his feelings while reading each and every word. But¡­ ¡ªElody will be waiting for you. ¡ªElody¡¯s cheering for you, always. ¡ªElody loves you. As he kept reading and reading. He couldn¡¯t deny it any longer. Yes, it was true. He was insanely jealous. He envied him so much. Who was this person that she cared for so much? How could she keep sending letters to him knowing that he had never replied? Theodore had always thought that eternal love could only exist between a parent and their child¡­ and this belief was formed when he saw how great his parents¡¯ love was for his older brother. Therefore, he believed that love was something he could never have for his entire lifetime. However, when he saw how someone could be loved so intensely by someone other than his parents. He was bewildered¡­ ¡®How can I get this kind of affection?¡¯ In this world filled with so much life, Theodore was lonely. His heart was empty. There was a void inside him that he couldn¡¯t seem to fill, and the more he perused her letters, the deeper that emptiness grew. Consequently, he started to imagine what it would be like if he were the receiver of the letters. He began hoping for affection as well from someone named Elody, who he had never even seen his entire life. ¡®What am I thinking?¡¯ Theodore was disgusted with himself. It was not right for him to feel this way. He only read the letters under the orders of the high priest. It wouldn¡¯t be right if he were to develop feelings only because of this! He already felt bad enough for the duke and the duchess, he didn¡¯t want to feel any guiltier than this. Thus, with that in mind. Theodore vowed to apologize to the ducal couple himself when he met them face to face in the duchy. However, he suddenly heard a strange rumor. ¡°It seems that the emperor ns to arrange a marriage between the Duke of Cernoir and Princess Larissa!¡± Theodore was confused. ¡®Why would he do that when the duke already has a wife?¡¯ Even if the ducal couple had not received the marriage approval seal from the Temple. It was evident that they were still married. Nevertheless, the gossip and rumors about their divorce spread throughout the capital like wildfire. Everyone seemed to believe that the duke was going to divorce the duchess to marry the princess. And he also heard that the duke regarded her as his sister rather than a wife. Though, in all honesty, he had already guessed that was the case from reading her letters. But¡­ the two were undoubtedly not real siblings. That was why he was so surprised to see such affection from someone who wasn¡¯t even family. Then, he heard another rumor. It was said that the duchess was a cold woman who had never even sent a single letter to her husband for seven years. When he heard about that, Theodore felt an immense amount of guilt. To atone for his sins, he pleaded to the high priest to let him go to the duchy to return the duchess¡¯s letters and supplies. And to no one¡¯s surprise, the Temple allowed him to go as they wanted to get a hold of the duke¡¯s power as well. Thus, Theodore left the capital for the duchy. He intended to apologize to the ducal couple from the bottom of his heart. But on the other hand, Theodore kept thinking about what would happen if the duke really intended to divorce his wife. Would he have a chance? He held onto that little bit of hope as he left for the Duchy of Cernoir. * * * At the training grounds of the Mansion of Cernoir¡­ After training, the knights went back to their lodgings to rest. That is, except for Therion, who had been sitting absent-mindedly on a chair, thinking about god knows what. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Sir Therion, are you thinking of something?¡± Sr asked with Ren by her side. ¡°N-nothing¡­¡± Therion said, finally snapped out of his daydream. Embarrassed, the knight stood up and left the training grounds. ¡°What¡¯s up with him? He¡¯s been in a daze all day long. Does this have anything to do with why he waste yesterday?¡± Ren asked. ¡°Maybe he saw something strange in the Forest of Death?¡± Sr replied. ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± The two eventually dismissed the thought and went back to their daily lives. * * * The knights who had left the training grounds were currently gathered in the lounge. Some drank beer, while others bet on each other with a game of poker. Amongst the noisy chatters, a loud voice could be heard. ¡°So¡­ is the duke still gonna marry the princess?¡± Everyone had been gossiping about the duke and duchess for days. Heinz, who was sitting in a corner, grunted, ¡°Should he? The duchess had sent so many letters and supplies to him. If he ignores that and still chooses to marry the princess, then it would mean that our leader has no heart.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Sir Heinz?¡± Someone whispered. Everyone was startled by Heinz¡¯s sudden change in attitude. ¡°Since when did you start supporting the madame?¡± Therion, who had been silent the whole time, snorted. At that sharp remark, Heinz red daggers at Therion. ¡°Ooh! Are you two gonna start a fight again? Then, how about we make a bet?¡± A knight eximed. ¡°A bet about the duke¡¯s marriage? Are you guys mad?!¡± Heinz shouted. Unfortunately, the knights cheered as they would never back down from a bet. ¡°Those who think that the duke will marry the princess, raise your hands!¡± ¡°Me! I bet on the princess!¡± ¡°Me too!¡± ¡°Me three!¡± Heinz¡¯s knights and a few of Sr¡¯s knights raised their hands. ¡°Then, those that think he won¡¯t divorce the duchess. Raise your hands!¡± ¡°Me!¡± ¡°Of course, he won¡¯t!¡± A lot more knights raised their hands than before. Naturally, some didn¡¯t raise their hands to both as well. Heinz was in a horrible mood. ¡®Those idiots don¡¯t know anything!¡¯ ¡°Tsk!¡± He clicked his tongue while ring at the knights. Suddenly, the topic changed to Princess Larissa¡¯s beauty. ¡°Honestly, though¡­ Isn¡¯t Princess Larissa really beautiful? If I were the duke, I would have fallen in love with her at first sight!¡± ¡°Yeah, and her stunning silver hair¡­!¡± Heinz was furious when he heard the knights endlessly praising the princess. But before he could burst out of anger, a knight spoke for him as if he had read his mind. ¡°What¡¯s so attractive about her? Our madame is far more beautiful than the princess! I mean, truthfully, isn¡¯t she weird? Why would she try to marry the duke if she knows that he already has a wife?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Someone eventually has to rat out the princess! She isn¡¯t as innocent as everyone ims her to be!¡± At the end of the knight¡¯s words. Heinz¡¯s men had a dark expression. ¡°No matter how hard you try to praise the princess. We will never acknowledge her because she is with those imperial bastards! Isn¡¯t she part of the imperial family anyway?¡± Two days ago, after the banquet was over, the knights who had seen the duchess¡¯s supplies had fully taken her side. Heinz as well, had wholeheartedly changed his stance. He was now one of the duchess¡¯s supporters and would no longer praise the princess. Suddenly, an unexpected person backed the princess up. ¡°Why is everyone ming the princess?¡± The knights¡¯ gazes turned to Heinz since he used to be the one who vouched for her the most. But surprisingly, Heinz had never opened his mouth. Hence, their line of sight moved again, and it finally stopped when it reached¡­ Therion. ¡°It¡¯s funny how you guys criticize the princess when you¡¯ve only criticized the duchess just a few days before.¡± Silence filled the room. Therion continued, ¡°What sin has the princess ever made? She must havee to the duchy without any knowledge whatsoever. I mean, if you ask me. I think that the duke is the heartless one! Seducing a naive person like her then treating her as if she were invisible after she came all the way to the¡­¡± Before Therion could finish his words. Heinz, who had been trying to calm himself, finally burst into anger. He jumped up from his seat, ran towards Therion. ¡°You f*cking traitor!¡± Then, he balled his fists and punched him square in the face. Chapter 62 Chapter 62 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha Late at night that day, Therion had just returned to the mansion from the Forest of Death and went to report about his trip to Caville. ¡°The monsters have increased. But since the vassals and their knights have arrived at the Forest of Death, I¡¯m sure that we will see a significant decrease in their numbers after a while.¡± ¡°I see. Good work.¡± Then, Caville continued to inspect the documents he received from Therion onest time before telling him to go back and rest. On his way back. Therion headed to the garden behind the mansion as a detour. It was his favorite ce. A few years ago, the madame had decorated the garden herself with a bunch of her servants. At that time, Therion helped them to move heavy rocks and nt flowers. It was one of his happiest memories. After leaving for the Forest of Death, he tried to move on from the duchess. There was even a time where he had hoped for the ducal couple to get a divorce so he would have a chance to be with her. Yet, he realized that the duchess had never been interested in him at all. He was utterly devastated at that time. Still¡­ Therion tried his best to move on, and eventually, the duchess became someone whom he just simply admired¡­ As Therion walked to the garden, he found someone standing among the flowers. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡®Who¡¯s that?¡¯ She was gorgeous. She had luscious silver hair that was braided to her waist, and she was wearing a cute white dress. Astonished, Therion hid himself so as to not disturb the beauty in front of him. At first, he thought that she was a ghost, but he soon remembered the words from his fellow knights. They said that Princess Larissa from the Empire of Dayev hade to the duchy. Plus, he remembered them saying that she had silver hair. When he heard that the duke would divorce his wife to marry the princess, Therion was furious. Though at the same time, he wished for the duke to actually do so, yet he still had negative feelings about the princess. But¡­ ¡®She looks like a forest fairy¡­¡¯ Her silver hair shone brightly underneath the moonlight, emitting an ethereal glow. It made her look all the more like a fairy, like those you only see in fairy tales. Her charming atmosphere somehow stimted his protective instinct. It was the same feeling he had when he fell in love with the duchess. The feeling that made him want to protect her¡­ ¡®It¡¯s like I can¡¯t help falling in love with her beauty¡­¡¯ Of course, the duchess was beautiful as well, but the feel the two of them gave off waspletely different. Suppose Elody was a lovely and elegantdy who exudes bright energy like the sun. In that case, Princess Larissa could be described as someone who emitted a subtle yet mysterious aura like the moonlight. Therion felt as if his heart was going to leap out of his chest. Indeed¡­ It seemed as if he had fallen in love with her at first sight. * * * ¡°What is up with you guys?¡± Brien asked Heinz and Therion, still shocked about what had just happened. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Therion and Heinz, who had been to Brien¡¯s office for the second time for being misconducted, stood there in silence. ¡®Not even seven-year-olds would repeat this kind of mistake twice¡­¡¯ Brien was dumbfounded when he heard that the two got caught up in another fight again. However, it seemed that it was more like one-sided violence than an actual fight. ¡°Wha¡­ what were you guys thinking?¡± Brien asked, staring at Heinz. Brien was stupefied when he first saw Therion¡¯s state. He was beaten ck and blue, and his good looking face was all but battered. ¡°No¡­ why did you beat him up so badly? Why would you do this to a fellow elite knight? Do you think he¡¯s lower than you?¡± ¡°¡­I hit him because he deserved it,¡± Heinz replied. Brien snorted at his words. He knew well that Therion was an extraordinary knight of good conduct. If someone were to stir up a problem, it would obviously be Heinz. ¡°Alright. Then, tell me. What did he do?¡± ¡°¡­Cough,¡± Therion coughed. After Heinz did the first blow, he couldn¡¯t fight back at all. Heinz just kept punching him with his fist, and it seemed as if his hatred only grew stronger with each and every blow. Therion had also be an elite knight because of his remarkable skills. But to be beaten one-sidedly like this¡­ He was ashamed of himself. ¡°He betrayed the duchess,¡± Heinz spoke. Therion was dumbfounded. He was appalled at his atrocious remarks. He had just said something out of pity for the princess, who was being criticized by the knights. Plus, he fell in love with her, so it was only natural for him to do that. However, by no means did he betray the duchess. ¡°Betrayed who¡­? Sir Therion, what does he mean by this?¡± Brien stared at Therion, raising his eyebrow. Therion then gave him an immediate answer, ¡°I would never!¡± ¡°Never? You lying bastard. You think I don¡¯t know what¡¯s inside your head?¡± Heinz glowered, furious at Therion¡¯s answer. ¡°Hey, stop it!¡± Brien warned Heinz. Heinz only turned his head to the side in dissatisfaction. ¡°Sir Therion, you may leave. Make sure you get those bruises healed.¡± ¡°Yes, vicemander.¡± Heinz red daggers at Therion as he left. Now, the two were the only ones left in the room. Brien sighed and continued speaking, ¡°Do you really want to keep causing trouble? You want to be kicked out of the mansion?¡± Heinz felt that he was falsely used. Therion was obviously at fault this time, but why was he the one being scolded instead? It was clear that he was discriminated against because he didn¡¯te from the duchy. ¡°The same goes for vicemander as well! Didn¡¯t you want the princess to marry the duke?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Brien was speechless. He didn¡¯t know what other people thought about that matter, but it certainly shouldn¡¯t be said aloud! Heinz continued on shamelessly, ¡°It¡¯s so obvious! That bastard must have a crush on Princess Larissa! I can tell just by looking into his eyes. He used to have that same look whenever he saw the duchess, but now he turned sides and betrayed her!¡± ¡°Nonsense! Have you ever entered Sir Therion¡¯s heart? How would you even be able to know that for sure?¡± ¡°Vicemander. Just look into his eyes and you¡¯ll know what I mean. He¡¯s so easy to figure out!¡± ¡°Would you stop looking into other people¡¯s eyes?¡± ¡°Why do you keep taking his side? Do you loathe me because I¡¯m non-native?¡± ¡°You scoundrel¡­¡± ¡°Fine. I won¡¯t talk anymore. But that bastard did betray the duchess. Not long ago he would talk about the duchess like madame this, madame that. And now what? His head is filled with nothing but the princess¡­¡± ¡°¡­I find you even more strange. Didn¡¯t you used to be the princess¡¯s number one supporter? What made you change your mind?¡± Heinz ignored his question and only said what he wanted to say, ¡°¡­He even insulted the duke, saying that he was a heartless person for treating the princess as if she were invisible!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Brien¡¯s expression hardened at his words. It seemed as if Heinz was not lying. ¡°Either way, vicemander is the same! You¡¯re heartless too!¡± Heinz yelled before running away in tears. ¡°God¡­ I swear. What should I do with him?¡± Brien said with a sigh. His head was a mess. For the past few days. Marie had also been treating him as if he was an invisible person. Furthermore, when he saw her talking with one of the apprentices, he was insanely jealous. Brien contemted asking the duchess for a favor. * * * ¡°Ha¡­¡± Caville sighed. He couldn¡¯t sleep wellst night as he had been reading his wife¡¯s letters. Fortunately, his eyes weren¡¯t swollen anymore. Though, he was still a bit reluctant to meet Elody. He felt strange. Whenever he thought of his wife, his face flushed red and his heartbeat went fast. Before, he would just feel peaceful and happy, but now, he was insanely nervous! He wanted to see his wife¡¯s face, but at the same time, he just wanted to hide and curl inside a hole. ¡°But¡­ does she not want to see me?¡± Even though they hadn¡¯t been able to see each other yesterday, his wife never reached out to him. Of course, Caville was the one avoiding her, but somehow¡­ it felt as if she was avoiding him as well. Still, he couldn¡¯t avoid his wife for too long. He had almost finished reading all the letters that his wife had sent to him. Thus, he was nning to thank her today. ¡®But why is my heart pounding so much?¡¯ ¡°Ugh, this is driving me crazy,¡± Ifrit, who had been loitering around underneath the desk, spoke. Caville red at Ifrit. ¡°Why are you following me? Go for a walk or something.¡± ¡°¡­Then, can you ask your wife to open the door to the greenhouse?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s full of mana. Unlike yours, the mana there is refreshing and clean! Of course, I could just go there and open it myself. But if I get caught sneaking in, won¡¯t your wife me you instead?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡®How annoying¡­¡¯ He didn¡¯t want his wife to hate him for something that troublesome puppy caused. ¡°Fine, I get it. Now, get lost.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. You have to tell me when she opens it. By the way, your eyes are puffy again today, huh?¡± ¡°Get out.¡± Ifrit grunted at his remarks before slipping out through the window. After he left, Caville took out his hand-mirror and stared at his eyes once again. * * * Caville had been inside his office untilte afternoon, and now, he finally chose to get out. He got himself up and fixed his clothes in front of the mirror. A while ago, he had asked a servant about Elody¡¯s whereabouts. ¡®My wife should be in theboratory at the moment.¡¯ Elody was in theb untilte at night yesterday, so he was worried that she might get sick. Caville couldn¡¯t go on like this. He didn¡¯te back to the duchy just to stay away from his wife. It was clear that she had been avoiding her as well. He didn¡¯t know how it became like this, but he vowed to meet his wife today. After reading Elody¡¯s letters, Caville felt strange and confused. However, he knew that the best solution for his confusion was to have a heart-to-heart with his wife. He knew that she would give him the answers he needed. Thus, Caville headed to the lead with determination. But on the way there, he ran into an unexpected person. That person¡­ was Princess Larissa. Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha Princess Larissa decided to tour the mansion with the intention of meeting Elody. She was a bit surprised when she heard about Count Defore¡¯s investigation on the magic tool. It turns out, themunication device was not in poor condition and much less shattered. Though the case was closed, Princess Larissa still doubted the duchess. Thus, she wanted to gather more information about her by striking up a conversation. However, as she was about to go to theboratory, she identally crossed paths with the Duke of Cernoir. ¡°Your Grace!¡± Princess Larissa greeted him with a curtsy. She was thrilled to have met him as this was the first time she had seen him ever since the weing banquet. The duke was as dashing as ever. He was really attractive. His tall figure, sturdy physique, luscious red lips, and his mysterious gaze. Princess Larissa was intrigued to know more about him. The duke was very charming, but there was a dangerous aura surrounding him as well, and sometimes¡­ when she gazed into his eyes, she could see a feeling of sorrow deep inside his heart. That was why, even if he were a bit cold to her, Larissa still wanted to get closer to him. She wanted to help mend his broken heart, even if it was just a bit. ¡°Ah.¡± Unfortunately for her¡­ ¡°I almost forgot, Your Highness was residing here,¡± he said with an indifferent gaze. Disregarding his previousment, the princess spoke, ¡°I¡­ was on my way to meet the duchess.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡®What?¡¯ Caville was bedazzled. He wondered if she was the reason why Elody had been avoiding him these days. ¡®When did they be close?¡¯ He suddenly had a bad feeling. ¡°I am also on my way to meet my wife.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Wife¡­ That word made Larissa¡¯s heart skip a beat. She imagined what it would be like if the Duke of Cernoir had called her that instead. ¡°But why are you looking for my wife?¡± ¡°Oh! I wanted to ask her something,¡± she answered, smiling. ¡®Was the rtionship between the ducal couple always this good?¡¯ Princess Larissa recalled the stories that Carolina had told her¡­ ¡°Your Highness! I looked into it. The duchess and the duke sleep in separate rooms.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes! That means their rtionship can¡¯t be too well! This is an excellent opportunity for you, Your Highness! If at some point, you meet His Grace the Duke, you should ask him to teach you the ancientnguage!¡± Hearing her words, Larissa was filled with hope. It seemed as though things would work out just fine. She thought that if she managed to expose the duchess¡¯s corruption, the Duke of Cernoir would finally be able to escape from his unhappy marriage, forgetting the wounds and sorrows of his past. ¡°Your Grace, I have something I wanted to tell you¡­ could you give me just a little bit of your time?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Caville decided to listen to her just in case it was about Elody. Besides, he had already nned to send the princess back so that he could spend his time alone with his wife. He didn¡¯t want anyone to interrupt his time with his wife tonight since it was finally time for him to have a heart to heart conversation with her. * * * Meanwhile, Elody had been staying inside theboratory all day. However, she wasn¡¯t conducting any research at all. Ever since Princess Larissa hade to the mansion, Elody hadn¡¯t been able to sleep a wink. She was seamlessly anxious about something she shouldn¡¯t even have to worry about, and she didn¡¯t know why. The constant feeling of envy and guilt continued to torture her as her heart felt heavier and heavier by each passing day. She knew she had to leave soon, but it was difficult to talk with Caville. Or rather, it was a bit ufortable for her to be near him¡­ Caville seemed very emotional after the Temple returned her letters, but¡­ he didn¡¯t even try to see her at all yesterday. Because of that, it was unavoidable that Elody would feel disappointed. Nheless, she had to learn to ept it. The time had finallye for her to leave since the princess was here. But somehow, she didn¡¯t want to¡­ Elody¡¯s feet did not seem to want to move even an inch out of this ce, and seeing the princess hold such prejudice against herself made her desire to stay grow even bigger. ¡®Why does she think of me like that? Why is she so suspicious of me?¡¯ Maybe, just maybe¡­ The princess subconsciously knew that she was a viin. Someone that could potentially kill her! But, the thing was that she had changed. She wasn¡¯t the same person as that viiness from the book. Elody had already taken a different path from the storyline, yet, the princess still felt some sort of hostility towards her¡­ Since then, every day for her was like walking on thin ice. She hadpletely lost her appetite, and she didn¡¯t even have the urge to sleep. Whenever she closed her eyes, she would remember the horrible future where she would have to leave the mansion and let Caville be happily in love with the princess. It was a nightmare. Thus, today, Elody decided to clear her thoughts in theb and calm her anxiety, but¡­ it was to no avail. ¡®I should just go back to my room and rest¡­¡¯ Before her depression worsened, she thought that the best solution was to discuss this with Caville and quickly get it over with. Meaning¡­ Elody was nning to leave as soon as possible. * * * On her way to the mansion, Elody noticed two familiar people conversing with each other. She soon stopped her tracks when their figures came to her line of sight. ¡®That¡¯s¡­ Caville and the princess?¡¯ The two were attractive individuals. So when Elody saw them together like that underneath the enchanting moonlight. She could not help but feel as if they were made for each other. ¡®Ah, they look good together. But¡­¡¯ However, it was strange. Her feelings were strange. The two looked like a perfect couple. Yet, there was this unstoppable ache deep inside her heart. Why did she feel this way? What was causing her to feel so much misery? At that moment, Larissa smiled beautifully and tucked her hair behind her ear. She was so stunning that those whoid their eyes upon her would not hesitate to fall in love. ¡®Even Caville¡­¡¯ Her heart sank. She finally knew what that feeling was¡­ It was envy. Elody clenched her fists. She immediately ran back towards the mansion to hide her overwhelming emotions. She couldn¡¯t stand watching them anymore. A few days ago, she had also experienced the same feeling when she saw Larissa getting along quite nicely with the knights. Elody knew well that the knights hated her, though she did not have the slightest clue about the reason. Nevertheless, the young duchess just epted it mindlessly, thinking that maybe, it was already her destiny. On the other hand, the charming princess was loved by all, epted by even those with the most stubborn perception of others. Elody felt terrible. In her heart crept a fit of jealousy that never slept. Her fears and insecurities kept consuming her and she didn¡¯t know how to make it stop. ¡®What if I be someone that¡¯s just like the original viiness?¡¯ She was afraid. She was terrified of falling into the depths of the ck abyss. The thought was so terrifying that it started to suffocate her. Though¡­ unlike the novel. She had loved Caville as if he was her younger brother. But, despite everything, she was nothing but a mere secondary character, and apparently, she had made no difference to the plot of the story. Elody and Caville had been separated for seven years, and by the time Caville met Larissa. He must have fallen in love with her on the battlefield. She was well aware of that, so she thought that she would naturallye to ept it when the princess came. But¡­ she still felt ufortable. It was difficult to ept facts that had already been decided. And now, she was afraid of her own emotions. She didn¡¯t know what she would do if those feelings actually caused her to be someone like the original viiness. ¡°¡­¡­¡± At the end of the dark path, she began to see her future; she would make a potion to hurt the princess. However, it meant that Caville would end up suffering more than the original male lead. He would have to kill Elody, someone who was just like a sister to him. It would have been terribly painful to murder someone he considered family! Elody didn¡¯t want that. She didn¡¯t want to cause misery in his life. He was her purpose in life in the first ce. Everything she had done up till now was for him. She would never have the heart to make him suffer in pain. After a while, Elody finally entered her chambers. With trembling hands, she carefully checked the luggage she had previously packed. She couldn¡¯t stay in the mansion feeling like this. If at one moment, she lost control of herself, she could ruin everyone¡¯s lives. Therefore, until she managed to calm her mind, she had to leave the castle. Being devoured by her anguish, her fate was to be a viin eventually. And she didn¡¯t want to die miserably at Caville¡¯s hands, who had adored her all his life. Thus, Elody walked out of her room with her luggage in hand, leaving a small note on the desk, reporting that she would be traveling for some time. She didn¡¯t know where to go since she didn¡¯t even have any ns, but she couldn¡¯t keep doing this anymore. She had to leave. * * * ¡°Your Grace, would you be so kind as to teach me the ancientnguage?¡± Larissa spoke, giving him a coy smile. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡®Ancientnguage?¡¯ ¡°Why does Your Highness need to do that?¡± ¡°I want to learn magic too¡­ So that I could be of help inside this mansion. I feel ufortable staying here without doing anything helpful, so I was just wondering if¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m not good at teaching other people.¡± At his cold response, Larissa¡¯s expression grew sullen. ¡°¡­I see.¡± ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. You should go back to your room. Should I ask a knight to escort you back?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s alright. It¡¯s not that far. I can just walk back with my maid,¡± Princess Larissa spoke while waving her hands. ¡°But, if I may ask¡­ Can Your Grace spare me some of your time tomorrow? I would really like it if we could have tea together.¡± Caville stared at her with a serious look on his face. At first, he believed that the idea of him getting married to the princess was nothing more than the emperor¡¯s intention to gain more political power. He thought that the princess was simply a tool for him to use and did not share the same opinion of marrying him and whatnot. But it turns out he was wrong. Of course, during his time on the battlefield, the princess had shown a tiny bit of interest in him, but he thought that it was just that- curiosity. However, now, it was clear that it wasn¡¯t so. Caville noticed something when he observed the princess. She would sometimes look awkward, demure, and coy, even going as far as attempting to hide that obvious blush on her face behind her fingers. Truthfully, it was a simr expression that Caville had whenever he was near his wife. It was honestly a bit embarrassing for him when he saw the princess like that. Perhaps that was why his wife did not feelfortable with him. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ But first things first, Caville had to make things clear. He had no intention to marry her whatsoever, and he wanted her to know that as a fact. ¡°I¡¯m going to make things clear¡­¡± Caville spoke with a frown on his face. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I have zero intention of getting divorced.¡± Seeing Larissa¡¯s sunken expression, Caville continued his words with a cold tone. ¡°Even if I die. I will never divorce my wife.¡± Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha Elody¡¯s baggage was very light. She only packed a set of clothes, scented candles, and the rest were just documents from her research. The first thing she nned to do was go to Sirka¡¯s guild and ask him to find a ce for her to stay for a few days. However, before leaving the mansion, she had arranged to stop by at a particr ce. The ce was near the first-floor corridor that was on the east wing of the mansion. That corridor was connected to a beautiful outdoor garden that Elody loved to visit from time to time. She would asionally go there because the back-door entrance was a faster exit to get to the merchant guild. Suddenly, however, she was struck by multiple voicesing from the garden. The conversation was so suspicious that she could not help but listen. ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± ¡°I told you!¡± The owner of those voices was none other than the priests. When she saw them, she immediately hid behind a pir and eavesdropped more on their talk. The priests stayed in the east wing of the mansion, whereas the guests from the imperial pce stayed in the west wing. ¡°¡­The Duke of Cernois is still¡­¡± Because of the word ¡®the Duke of Cernois¡¯, Elody started paying more attention to what they were talking about. She walked closer to them and fortunately, the sound of bees masked her footsteps. After passing two more pirs, Elody could finally hear their voice clearly. The two chatted while staring at the flowers with their arms crossed on their chests. ¡°We can¡¯t let Emperor Albrecht do whatever he wants! I¡¯m sick of those guys from the imperial pce!¡± ¡°I heard that the northern and eastern dukes imed a few territories from the war.¡± ¡°Seriously?! The emperor shouldn¡¯t just carelessly give out territories like that!¡± ¡°It¡¯s true! That¡¯s why the emperor is trying to covet the Duke of Cernoir to gain more political power! Or rather, he just wants to take advantage of the duke¡¯s spirit¡­¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ it wouldn¡¯t be good if he somehow gained control of the duke¡¯s spirit. We must take it away from the duke first somehow!¡± ¡°First things first, we must make sure that the duke is on our side.¡± ¡°Well, since High Priest Amos is here. There¡¯s nothing to worry about, right? Oh, and is the meeting still in progress?¡± The two young priests who were conversing looked at the stairs in the middle of the hallway. Perhaps, the meeting ce was being held on the upper floor. ¡®Those two are High Priest Amos¡¯s subordinates¡­¡¯ Elody continued to listen to their discussion. ¡°High Priest Amos could just kill the duke and take away his spirit if he wants to. He has the power to do it.¡± ¡°Of course, he does¡­ That¡¯s why he even brought the sacred magic tools.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Elody was so shocked at their remarks that she had to cover her mouth to avoid them from hearing her gasps. She thought that the Temple came to borrow his power or use him as a political tool. But it turned out to be much worse than that. They seemed to havee up with such extreme measures. It was shocking to say the least! However, no matter how strong the high priests were, they could never beat Caville. His swordsmanship skills were extraordinary and the amount of mana he had was something that no one could ever beat. She wasn¡¯t able to confirm this herself, but she knew that Caville would be strong enough to even use all forms of magic with just one gesture. Topete with a swordmaster like Caville that could possibly beat them with the lift of a single finger, they had to be at least a high priest or a holy mage. However¡­ ¡®A holy mage¡­ Does such a person even exist?¡¯ They even seemed to have a secret weapon up their sleeves. Things were certainly not looking good¡­ Elody¡¯s heart was filled with anxiety. She was so afraid that it felt as if her heart might leap out of her chest at any moment. Her heartbeat was so loud that she was terrified they would hear it even from a distance. ¡®They¡¯re nning to kill Caville¡­¡¯ Elody¡¯s eyes were quivering in fear. ¡®But¡­ What kind of magic tool are they talking about? What kind of secret are they hiding?¡¯ Elody held her breath and continued to eavesdrop some more. However, their conversation had already ended. Suddenly, a couple of footsteps could be heard from above the stairs. Elody could hear them descend from the upper floors. ¡°Hey¡­ get back to your rooms!¡± The voice came from an old priest, though it was most certainly not High Priest Amos. At his words, the two young priests bowed their heads and went back to their respective rooms. ¡°Sir Theodore, let us rest as well,¡± the old priest said. ¡°Alright.¡± Having said that, the old priest headed back to his room. Elody, still in hiding, waited until everyone was ready to leave. However, the sound of footsteps could be heard getting closer and closer to her¡­ Until it stopped. Theodore, themander of the pdins, stared at Elody that hid behind the pir of the corridor that led to the garden. He thought to himself about the meeting he attended from before. Somehow, the chances of the duke divorcing the duchess were very low. However, High Priest Amos still thought of killing the duke if he had to. Once again, he hoped for something he knew he shouldn¡¯t hope for. The first time he saw Elody, he felt something deep within his heart. It was an unknown, shameful desire. He wanted her to be his. He wanted to propose to her. During the past few days, Theodore had wanted to approach the duchess. Unfortunately for him, he had never dated nor even had deep conversations with women, so he had no clue on how he was going to get closer to Elody. But to see her at such an unexpected ce¡­ The young pdin¡¯s heart pounded hard. ¡°¡­¡­¡± He slowly walked toward Elody, and after standing in front of the pir in which she was hiding, he spoke gently, ¡°Your Grace, what are you doing here at this hour¡­?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody, who was still in hiding, turned around in shock with her hand on her mouth. Every time the sound of footsteps approached her, she found it very hard for her to breathe. What¡¯s more, the man had never even seen her, and yet, he knew who she was¡­ ¡®How does he know? Does he have a weird ability? It was said that knights who had passed certain heights in their training would be able to figure out where their enemies are in just a few seconds! Is that how he found me out?¡¯ Elody felt as if her heart was in her throat. Then, she mustered up the courage to talk. ¡°¡­I¡¯m just t-taking a stroll.¡± ¡°I see. The garden here is beautiful indeed.¡± Theodore was trying his best to hide his feelings and this awkward tension between them. As he stared at Elody, his eyes drifted to her gorgeous pink locks. Her cmine hair was braided to the side and flowed to her shoulder. Her lips were carefully tinted red and her ivory skin was wless. She was stunning. To him, Elody was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his entire life. Even her surprised expression was cute. How easily startled she was, how she looked like a small, defenseless animal. He thought that perhaps this was what the foxes felt when they hunted those tiny, cute rabbits. Then, his eyesid upon a leather bag that she was carrying around. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody shook her head. ¡°I-it¡¯s nothing. Just¡­¡± As Elody was about to leave¡­ ¡°Wait, please!¡± Theodore grabbed her by the hand. The young duchess turned around in bewilderment. Seeing the difort in her eyes, Theodore quickly withdrew his hand, as if he had finally realized what he had just done. ¡°I apologize. I just¡­ wanted to talk to Your Grace for a while longer¡­¡± Suddenly¡­ ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± A cold voice came from behind the two. Stunned, Elody turned her head to look at the owner of that cold voice. It was Caville. * * * After talking with the princess, Caville headed directly to Elody¡¯sb. However, the ce was empty. Thus, he proceeded to go back to the mansion and ran straight to her room. He was hesitant at first. It had been a long time since hest visited her bedroom. But he couldn¡¯t wait any longer, so, with trembling hands and a loudly pounding heart, Caville knocked on her door. After a while, the door opened. ¡°¡­My wife, I need to talk to¡ª¡° ¡°Your wife is gone.¡± His wife was substituted by Ifrit. ¡°Wha¡ª? Why are you here?!¡± Caville snarled. Ifrit just shrugged in response. ¡°The window to your room was closed, so I went to your wife¡¯s bedroom instead.¡± ¡°¡­and where is she?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Caville immediately barged into the room. It was empty as the wind. ¡®Where did she go?¡¯ Caville became anxious. ¡°There¡¯s a note on the desk. It said that she was going on a trip for a few days.¡± His heart immediately sank into his boots. ¡®A trip?¡¯ What kind of nonsense was that? What sudden trip? ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville stared at the note that was left on the desk. He spoke to Ifrit, ¡°Track my wife¡¯s whereabouts right now.¡± It was finally time to confirm his so-called ability that he had been boasting about. ¡°Hahaha!!! I knew you would eventually need my help!¡± ¡°S-shut up! Just get to work!¡± Too excited to mind his words, Ifrit instantly started sniffing for Elody¡¯s traces. ¡®Is he going to track her down in his¡­ puppy form?¡¯ Caville¡¯s expression worsened, though in all honesty, he didn¡¯t really look that unreliable. ¡°This way! The east wing! But¡­ isn¡¯t that where the guests from the Temple were staying?¡± Afterward, Caville immediately ran to the east wing and was able to find Elody there. However, the situation was strange. His wife was carrying a leather bag while talking to some random guy. ¡®Is that¡­ themander of the pdins?¡¯ Caville remembered his face because he wasn¡¯t very fond of him on the battlefield. He was quite annoying to say the least. Then, his eyes drifted to Theodore¡¯s hand which was holding his wife¡¯s arm. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± He slowly approached the two. Theodore withdrew his hand straight away, but Caville¡¯s gaze was still on Elody¡¯s wrist that he had previously touched. In an instant, his heart burned with rage. And the fire was spread all over his body until he eventually exploded. Caville grabbed Theodore by the cor and threw him against the pir. ¡°Caville!¡± Elody was astounded and held back his arm. Caville only stared at his wife in confusion. ¡®What in the world is going on?¡¯ Caville¡¯s eyes were filled with fury. Why was his wife taking this bastard¡¯s side? Why was she carrying a suspicious leather bag in the east wing where the Temple people stayed? With this bastard even¡­ He began putting the pieces together, and it eventually clicked. ¡®Is it what I think it is¡­?¡¯ Caville felt as if his world had just broken down and crumbled to pieces. Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha ¡°Caville, please¡­ It¡¯s not what you think¡­¡± Elody begged as she held onto his arm. She panicked because he had misunderstood her motives. ¡°Please, Caville¡­¡± ¡°What exactly am I misunderstanding?¡± ¡°Caville¡­¡± She stared at Caville anxiously. Theodore stared at the two in shock. ¡°Caville, just go back to your room and take a rest, okay?¡± Elody pleaded. ¡°¡­¡­¡± At her words, Caville was forced to let go of Theodore. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Theodore was finally able to breathe. On the other hand, Elody stared at the pdin with an apologetic look on her face. Suddenly, Caville dragged Elody away from Theodore by holding her hand to who-knows-where. In all honesty, he really wanted to punch that guy¡¯s face. But dealing with him could be der. Right now, his wife was his utmost priority. Still holding hands, the two turned towards the garden before finally disappearing from in sight. ¡®He¡¯s insane¡­¡¯ Theodore clicked his tongue in fury. Somehow, he was really angry after the two left. Or rather¡­ he was jealous of the duke that could casually hold the duchess¡¯s hand. Theodore smiled a little. The two didn¡¯t seem to have a good rtionship with each other. It was as if only the duke was one-sidedly chasing after the duchess. If this were true, then Theodore thought that perhaps he might have a chance. * * * ¡°Caville! Please wait¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody, still being dragged by Caville, was unable to keep up with his pace and ended up pulling her hand away from his hold. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The two stopped in silence with Caville staring at his wife coldly. Unexpectedly, the duke just lifted her up, took her in his arms, and went along his way. ¡°Caville!¡± No matter how loud she shouted, Caville just continued to rush up the stairs. Carrying his wife was just a mere problem. He proceeded to carry her until they reached his bedroom. The ce where they used to sleep together when they were kids. After mming the door open, Caville put Elody down on the floor. However, as they finally faced each other face to face, the young duke didn¡¯t know what to do¡­ ¡°Caville¡­¡± Caville was confused and frustrated. There were so many emotions in his head that he didn¡¯t know what to say. The first thing he blurted out was, ¡°Where were you trying to go¡­?¡± Caville asked, trying to sound calm. Elody surprised by his question, hesitated for a moment before answering, ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t be here anymore, Caville. In fact, I should¡¯ve left before you returned from the war¡­¡± Caville slowly approached his wife. The corner of his lips unexpectedly rose, forming a twisted smile. ¡°While I was fighting on the battlefield, you were prepared to run away.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°So, that note you left me was just a lie? You never meant toe back?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it¡­¡± He started wrapping her waist with his big hands and looked straight into her eyes. He was smiling, but his eyes were burning with intensity. ¡°Caville¡­¡± It was as if his pink eyes had turned red. The anger reflected from his orbs like an ethereal fire. He was certainly filled with rage. ¡°Is he your lover?¡± He coldly spoke. Elody knew who he was talking about. He was obviously talking about Theodore. It had been less than seven days since the guests from the Temple had arrived, and during that short span of time, her husband hadn¡¯t seen her at all. Elody vowed to clear up the misunderstanding and resolve things as fast as possible. ¡°¡­¡­¡± But¡­ Caville¡¯s face was far too close to hers¡­ He was so close that it seemed as if his lips could touch her s at any moment! Embarrassed, Elody gave him a little push, and contrary to her expectations, Caville stepped back from her immediately. She sighed in exasperation. It was finally time for her to be honest with Caville. ¡°Sir Theodore and I are strangers. He¡¯s a nobody to me. Please don¡¯t misunderstand him¡­¡± ¡°¡­I believe my wife¡¯s words.¡± Caville wasn¡¯t actually suspicious of Elody, but when he saw that gaze in Theodore¡¯s eyes, he could not help but think of the worst. Even if his wife had no rtionship with that guy, he was still clearly interested in her. Elody spoke calmly, ¡°I¡­ I was actually thinking of running away. I felt like I had to leave the mansion for at least a few days¡­¡± She had lost all reason. She feared for the things that could happen to her in the days ahead of now. That was why she wanted to run away. However, after listening to the priests¡¯ conversations, she decided toe back to her room. Elody feared that if she were absent, she might not be able to prevent them from plotting Caville¡¯s murder. ¡°You see¡­ there¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°This is your home. Where were you nning to go, wife?¡± Caville¡¯s eyes trembled in fear. Strange emotions were dwelling from deep inside his heart. He was once again confused by not being able to understand the meaning behind his emotions. ¡°¡­I want a divorce. Let¡¯s prepare the divorce papers, Caville.¡± Elody thought that divorcing him first would be the best option to take as of the moment. After that, she could go ahead and take care of the guys from the Temple. That way, things would be less ufortable for both the princess and Caville himself. Or so she thought¡­ ¡°Why?!¡± Caville¡¯s response surprised her greatly. ¡°Uh.. I mean¡­ You and Princess Larissa¡­¡± ¡°What does that woman have to do with me?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to¡­ marry her?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville stared Elody in the eye as if trying to read her thoughts¡­ Elody frowned, something seemed wrong. The atmosphere was weird and his response was certainly not what she expected. ¡°You¡­ have to marry the princess.¡± Their perception of the situation clearly differed from each other. Elody genuinely thought that the two were close. However, Caville seemed to have no knowledge regarding that whatsoever. ¡°¡­I do not have the intention of divorcing my wife.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You can try to divorce me over my dead body. Even if I have to die, such a thing will never happen!¡± ¡°Caville?¡± ¡°You told me you loved me.¡± Elody stared at him, stunned. His eyes started tearing up before his tears fell to his cheeks. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I do! I already told you, I will always love you!¡± Elody was confused, how did ite to this? Caville seemed to have no desire to marry Princess Larissa, which meant that they weren¡¯t lovers. Those two had spent so much time together on the battlefield. Yet, he didn¡¯t even hold the tiniest bit of feelings for the princess. Was that even possible? And yet, he was able to talk to her with that look on his face. A look filled with so much passion, with the tone of his voice that made her think that the two of them were the only ones in this world. Still, she doubted that maybe he didn¡¯t understand what love was. When they were children, Elody used to tell Caville that she loved him. She told him those exact same words in her letters as well. But¡­ it wasn¡¯t something that she had thought about deeply. She didn¡¯t know that it could have caused his feelings to distort so much from the original plot. ¡®It¡¯s all my fault!¡¯ Elody bit her lips. All those affections were for him. Though, she should have given it up before it was toote¡­ ¡°Caville, you¡¯re not thinking straight¡­¡± ¡°You think I don¡¯t know my own feelings?¡± ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re misunderstanding your love for me from familial love. You think of me as your sister¡­ not a lover.¡± ¡°And where is that sister? I don¡¯t have a sister so I have no idea what you mean by that. The only family I have here is my wife.¡± ¡°Caville.¡± ¡°My wife, you can¡¯t leave me! You can¡¯t leave me for the rest of your life! We¡¯re married!¡± He cried. Thanks to Elody¡¯s words, Caville finally realized how he actually felt about her. Caville loved his wife as much as he did when he was a child, but that feeling was subtly different from that in the past. As he said to his wife, it was not the affection he would feel for a sister. ¡°¡­¡­¡± He silently gazed at his wife¡¯s face. Her rosy cheeks and luscious lips¡­ He was in love with her. ¡°Caville, you and Princess Larissa are bound by fate.¡± But the words that came out of her lips were thest thing he wanted to hear. ¡°No. You are my fate.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody had finally confessed that Caville and Princess were destined for each other. Unfortunately, Caville¡¯s answer had made it clear: she had ruined the plot of the novel way too much. And she noticed it toote. * * * That night, Elody returned to her room. Meanwhile, Caville sat on the hallway floor, keeping guard of her room due to the fear that she would change her mind and run away again. It seemed that it would not work as they could not continue sleeping in a separate room. He used another room because his wife felt ufortable, but it was weird when he actually thought about it. Even if she was ufortable, it was better for them to sleep in the same room. Furthermore, the two were married and he was deeply in love with his wife. But Caville was aware that Elody didn¡¯t feel the same. He still remembered what his wife had told himst night, ¡°Caville, you and Princess Larissa are bound by fate.¡± He would blindly believe anything she told him, but not that. He was greatly irritated. Why was everyone trying to pair him up with Princess? If she was indeed his fate, Caville had no qualms about fighting fate or destiny or whatever head-on just so that he could spend the rest of his life with his wife. ¡°Oh, my Lord¡­!¡± Early the next morning, Marie went to Elody¡¯s room and was surprised to see Caville sitting in the hallway. ¡°What is Your Grace doing here?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The night had finally passed. Caville got up and without giving her an answer, he immediately headed to his room. After washing his face with cold water, Caville changed clothes and went to visit Count Defore and the princess. * * * ¡°Your Highness! His Grace is looking for you!¡± ¡°Wha-what?¡± At Carolina¡¯s words, Larissa stared at herself in the mirror in excitement. ¡°Your Highness is as beautiful as usual! Now let us go see His Grace!¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Princess Larissa opened the door and went out, calming her beating heart. But contrary to her expectations. The duke didn¡¯te to see her alone, Count DeFore was with him and the duke¡¯s expression was as cold as ice. ¡°Count DeFore¡­? What¡¯s happening¡­?¡± Caville parted his lips. ¡°Your Highness, Count DeFore, and the other guests from the imperial pce. As of today, you must leave the Duchy of Cernoir immediately.¡± Chapter 66 Chapter 66 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha Caville spent the whole night pondering. ¡®Since when did things start to go wrong¡­?¡¯ He realized that there had been a lot of obstacles in the rtionship between him and his wife. From the start, Caville had nned to live the rest of his life in peace with his wife after returning from the war. However, everything turned into a disaster because of other people¡¯s interventions! From the Temple to the Imperial Government, none of them did any good for him! Caville just couldn¡¯t take it anymore. Therefore, he shooed all those unwanted guests away from his residence. The documents from the emperor had already been signed anyway. So, they had no more reason to stay here in the mansion any longer. ¡°But, Your Grace¡­! We were sent by His Majesty here to¡ª¡± ¡°Have I not already signed all the documents the emperor requested me to? There is no more reason for you to stay here in the duchy.¡± ¡°H-how can His Grace say those things to the emperor¡¯s envoys¡­?¡± Count DeFore murmured. Caville didn¡¯t care at all. He had even fulfilled the promise of participating in the war with the emperor. There was literally nothing else that connected Caville to the emperor anymore! He had already done enough! ¡°Your Highness, Count DeFore, and the other guests. You may return to the capital.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± At his words, Princess Larissa almost copsed due to shock. That night, Larissa wasn¡¯t able to sleep a wink. She could not believe that the Duke of Cernoir had rejected her right after he told her that he had no intention of divorcing the duchess. After hearing those words, she knew that she should just give up, but she still wondered why her feelings for him kept growing stronger and stronger instead. Larissa thought that if she were able to expose the duchess of her evil schemes. The duke might change his mind. But to think that he instantly told her to leave¡­ It was as if her world had just broken apart. ¡°But, Your Grace¡­¡± ¡°Your Highness does not have a reason to stay here any longer. Your belongings will be sent back to the capital immediately. So, please leave.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± * * * After forcing the imperial envoys to leave, Caville proceeded to kick out the guests from the Temple of Thysser. The priests had originally nned to reside in the mansion until the renovation of the Cernoir Temple had been finished. But Caville just couldn¡¯t wait any longer. He spoke to High Priest Amos, ¡°One of your pdins touched the duchess¡¯s body without my permission.¡± ¡°What¡­? Who is that man if I may ask?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Sir Theodore! How dare he touch my wife¡¯s arm?! Is that the kind of education you teach in the Temple?!¡± ¡°What does this mean, Sir Theodore?¡± ¡°Hmph! Whatever it is, after you return to the Temple, you may discuss it amongst yourselves.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Thus, Caville finally finished cleaning all the rats inside the mansion. * * * ¡°Your Highness! What on earth is happening? Why are we leaving so suddenly?¡± Carolina asked as she looked at the mansion through the carriage window. Princess Larissa didn¡¯t answer. She only wiped the tears on her face with a broken heart. Everything felt unfair. The duchess had everything she didn¡¯t; a huge mansion, a beautiful greenhouse, stunning flowers, friendly servants, trustworthy knights, and even the Duke of Cernoir! Princess Larissa finally admitted her true feelings. What she felt was greed. Her home, the Castle of Dayev, was destroyed to bits and pieces. She was devastated when that happened, though she still kept the memory in her head as a ce full of happiness. It wasn¡¯t as if the duchess had taken away the things she owned, but Princess Larissa still felt as if she did. ¡°Your Highness¡­ please don¡¯t cry. We cane back againter, alright?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Princess Larissa promised to guard the duke¡¯s castle in her memory and heart, hoping that maybe she might be able to return to that beautiful ce one day. Count DeFore, who was sitting on another carriage, also stared outside the window, ring at the mansion while gritting his teeth. ¡®How dare he ignore His Majesty¡¯s orders¡­!¡¯ Even if he was a war hero, he shouldn¡¯t have done that! Count DeFore was one of the most powerful aristocrats in the capital, and he had earned the emperor¡¯s trust. So when the emperor told him to go to the duchy to gain the duke¡¯s favor. The count had vowed to finish his task sessfully. But to think that he would kick them out instead¡­ ¡®I shall report all of this to His Majesty,¡¯ Count DeFore thought while clenching his fist. The emperor only wanted to maintain a good rtionship with the duke, but the duke himself refused his kind offer! He¡¯d have no choice but to pay the price. Both Count DeFore and Princess Larissa stared at the mansion from a distance. However, what was going inside their minds wasn¡¯t the same at all. While Princess Larissa imagineding back to the beautiful mansion, Count DeFore wanted the ce to burn in hell. * * * Since she couldn¡¯t sleep early that night, Elody ended up falling asleep at dawn and wasn¡¯t able to wake up until evening came. And surprisingly, the first news she heard from Marie was that the guests from the Temple and the Imperial Pce had left the territory. ¡°Wha-what did you say?!¡± Elody was so surprised that she began to choke on her drink. ¡°Cough, cough!¡± ¡°Are you alright, madame?! Should I call a doctor?¡± Marie said as she patted Elody¡¯s back. Then, after taking a deep breath, Elody spoke, ¡°They all left?! So suddenly?¡± ¡°Yes, His Grace kicked them all out this morning.¡± ¡°But why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure either¡­ Oh! And I think that His Grace spent all night sitting in the hallway in front of madame¡¯s bedroom¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°When I arrived in madame¡¯s room this morning, I saw His Grace sitting in the hallway. His eyes were red, so I guessed that he might not have slept at all yesterday.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody sighed. He seemed to have been keeping an eye on her in case she tried to escape. Moments like these made Elody think of him as a child. ¡®But to think that he actually got rid of the guys from the Temple and the Imperial Government.¡¯ Elody wasn¡¯t too worried about the case since the priests were supposed to go to the Cernoir Temple and the Emperor¡¯s envoy had no reason to stay anyway, but¡­ ¡®Did he do that because of me?¡¯ She had a headache. Even Princess Larissa was gone. Caville must have been really angry yesterday. ¡°Caville, you and Princess Larissa are bound by fate.¡± It was all her fault. ¡®I mean, what was I supposed to do?¡¯ She had genuinely thought that the two would be lovers! And the temple¡­ ¡°Is it because of the Commander of the Pdins?¡± When Caville caught her yesterday with him, Elody¡¯s heart was racing, was it because of Caville¡¯s expression? She really felt as if he had caught her having an affair. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t seem to doubt her, but¡­ seeing as how he threw the Temple people out, he must have been quite annoyed. ¡°I have to clear things up with him.¡± It was necessary to speak again now that she had a clear mind. Thus, Elody began to wash and change her clothes with Marie¡¯s help. * * * Caville was contemting his next n with joy, and it was all because he had expelled the unwanted guests. Ifrit was once again counseling Caville. ¡°I love my wife,¡± Caville said with a stern tone. ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± Ifrit replied. ¡°In the past, when I thought of my wife, my heart was calm¡­ but it¡¯s different now.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ you said it before, you said that it burns.¡± ¡°Yeah, it feels hot, I feel this weird pressure on my chest. And it felt like a fever since my whole body was burning.¡± ¡°So you finally realized that the feeling is called love.¡± ¡°But¡­ I don¡¯t think that my wife feels the same,¡± Caville said with a gloomy face. Ifrit only chuckled in response. ¡°That¡¯s called an unrequited love.¡± ¡°I hope my wife loves me as much as I love her¡­¡± ¡°Can I do anything to help you?¡± At Ifrit¡¯s words, Caville looked at him in disbelief. As if that tiny puppy could do anything to help him progress his rtionship with his wife. Seeing his disgusted expression, Ifrit only grumbled in annoyance. Cavilleughed and spoke, ¡°Are you gonna talk nonsense again?¡± ¡°That¡­ was your fault, not mine.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re too innocent and simpleminded, so I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll achieve much. But starting tomorrow, I¡¯ll bring you a few books about love. So study them.¡± Ifrit knew that Caville was too pure for his age, so he thought he needed an educational book. Caville knew nothing of what a man his age naturally knew, that¡¯s why he didn¡¯t get along with knights at all, except when they fought and trained on the battlefield. Like the self-proimed older brother he was, Ifrit pledged to educate Caville well. ¡°Anyway, you don¡¯t have to be like before! If you want your wife to love you, it¡¯s important that you don¡¯t go on behaving like a child.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville agreed to his words as he knew at least that much now. ¡°And don¡¯t whine.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t force yourself on her.¡± Caville¡¯s forehead began to wrinkle. ¡°You cannot be too pushy. Don¡¯t say things like ¡®Oh! I love you so much, but why don¡¯t you love me?¡¯ It¡¯s embarrassing, so stop it, okay?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s all on you though. Think wisely.¡± ¡°Alright. Then what do you think I should do?¡± Caville asked, frustrated by his words. Ifrit replied, ¡°¡­First, you have to let her fall in love with you!¡± ¡°How do I do that?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I mean ¡­Just look at yourself in the mirror! Your appearance is the number one priority!¡± Caville followed lfrit¡¯s advice and pulled out a mirror from his hand. Then, Ifrit inwardly apologized when he saw Caville touching his face. ¡®Sorry kid, I actually don¡¯t know how to court girls either¡­¡¯ Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. ¡°Caville, are you inside?¡± It was Elody. Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha Creak¡ª! She opened the door. ¡°My wife¡­¡± Caville¡¯s expression was surprisingly brighter than yesterday. He seemed cheerful. Though on the contrary, Elody was still ufortable over the things that had happened between the two of them. ¡°I need to talk to you¡­¡± ¡°Alright. I have something I want to tell you as well.¡± Elody nodded in response before proceeding to enter the room and sat on the couch. Caville followed her from behind and stared at her with a gleam of light shimmering in his eyes. ¡°I shall take my leave now, madame.¡± Marie was able to take a hint about the atmosphere between the two, therefore she scurried herself out to not interrupt them any further. Now, the married couple and Ifrit were the only ones left in the room. Amongst the awkward silence, Elody just kept fiddling her fingers while Caville red at Ifrit, gesturing him to leave through the window. After a while, Elody finally mustered up her courage to speak and broke the silence. ¡°Caville¡­ Why did you tell the guests to leave?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about time I did that. I should¡¯ve done it a long time ago.¡± ¡°But still, it¡¯s way too sudden¡­¡± ¡°My wife, do you really want me to marry Princess Larissa?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Elody didn¡¯t know how she should respond to his question. ¡®I mean¡­ They ended up together in the novel. I never expected things to go like this¡­¡¯ Of course, she could have just told the truth and said yes. But somehow¡­ she couldn¡¯t say a single word at that moment. The words just wouldn¡¯te out of her mouth! First, the princess seemed to hold some sort of grudge or suspicion towards her, and now even her husband refused to ept his fate! ¡°I mean, you can if you want to¡­¡± ¡°What if I don¡¯t?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody stared at him with a puzzled expression, on the other hand, Caville¡¯s eyes were full of certainty. However, if Caville truly didn¡¯t want to marry the princess¡­ then she shouldn¡¯t force the idea on him. ¡®They¡¯re destined to be together anyway¡­ I don¡¯t think it¡¯s my ce to intervene in their rtionship.¡¯ Elody was still confused, she didn¡¯t know why Caville felt like this. ¡®Could this have happened because I treated him differently than the original novel?¡¯ But then again, she had never intervened in Caville¡¯s meeting with Larissa either. After growing up, Elody thought that Caville would naturally fall in Larissa, not with her! He was like a duckling that had just hatched from its egg and the first thing it saw was its mother. ¡®But that feeling isn¡¯t love. He¡¯s just obsessed with me because I was the first person to give him affection to¡­¡¯ ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville was surprisingly straightforward. ¡°I am in love with you.¡± This time, he said with the most tender voice and held his hand on his chest. Elody felt as if she had just been hit in the back of her head with arge iron hammer. She wasn¡¯t able to think rationally. She parted her lips and spoke, ¡°Caville, you¡¯re¡­¡± ¡°You think I¡¯m mistaking my feelings for you as a brotherly love?¡± Elody was speechless. He took the words right out of her mouth. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no one in this world that could make me feel the way I feel about you.¡± Caville smiled at his own words. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡®Oh, my word¡­¡¯ Elody had goosebumps all over her body. It felt as if there were butterflies in her stomach. ¡°Were you really thinking of getting a divorce? Where would you even go if that actually happened?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ve tried searching for a ce to reside in.¡± ¡°Is that why you¡¯ve been talking to Sirka these past months?¡± Caville said as he recalled his memories. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right! I¡¯ve looked into a few properties, and I found one that¡¯s perfect for Your Grace to build another greenhouse!¡± Caville pretended to dismiss his thoughts about Sirka¡¯s words at that time, but in all honesty, he had been thinking about it nonstop ever since. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Elody replied with a nervous expression. She thought she was ready for a divorce¡­ but her husband clearly did not have any intentions of doing so. ¡°And after that? What were you nning on doing?¡± Caville said, creasing his eyebrows before continuing, ¡°Were you thinking of searching for another man and getting married to him?¡± ¡°¡­W-well, I have never thought of that. But I guess it could happen¡­?¡± Caville bit his lips. ¡°I have no intention of forcing my feelings onto you, but¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t divorce me. Please just give me a chance¡­¡± ¡°Caville¡­¡± ¡°I will do my best so that your feelings for me will change. Just wait because I will put in all of my efforts to make you mine. But¡­ if even until then you still want a divorce, then I will have no choice but to ept.¡± Caville looked sad when he said that. ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Elody agreed to his terms as she knew that he wouldn¡¯t back off anyway. Plus, she still thought of him as a child. He had only reached adulthood recently, and at that age, people tend to get confused about their obsession with love. Or at least, that was what Elody thought. She found it hard to believe his words. ¡®We parted when we were young, he had just barely returned, and now he says his feelings are those of a man. As time passes Caville will know¡­ that his feelings aren¡¯t real.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­¡± At her response, Caville¡¯s lips curved upwards. Elody said that she would wait until his efforts reach its end. Though¡­ Caville actually lied. He had no intention of giving up even if she did not love him back. However, if she really wanted it¡­ He might have to fulfill her wish even if it hurt him. Still! Even if they were divorced, it didn¡¯t mean that he would have to disappear from her life. Caville promised to always be with her throughout his entire life. No matter what. Elody considered Caville¡¯s confession to be nothing but a sudden impulse, but the same couldn¡¯t be said for what Elody was about to say. ¡°Caville, I think that the Temple is trying to aim for the power of your spirit.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville blinked, feigning ignorance. He was already well aware of that fact, though he decided to ignore it because he couldn¡¯t do anything anyway¡­ ¡°I identally heard the priests¡¯ conversationsst night.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The word st night¡± made Caville squint his eyes. However, Elody continued on, ¡°I wanted to tell you this before I left¡­ the priests were talking about you. They said that High Priest Amos had brought a magic tool that could potentially kill you¡­¡± ¡°Really?¡± Elody wanted to protect Caville at all costs, she wasn¡¯t going to let the Temple hurt him. Ever since she met him, he had be her most important person. ¡°So I want to know how strong you actually are.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± She had simply asked how strong he was as a swordmaster. However, Caville felt that he hade to an opportunity to apply those tips that Ifrit had given to him. ¡°You have to make it so that your wife can see you as someone she can depend on! A strong and reliable figure!¡± He thought that this was what he was talking about, so after a short pause, he spoke confidently, ¡°I can protect you! You¡¯ll be surprised to see how strong I¡¯ve be!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The answer he gave was very simr to that of an elementary school student, so Elody resisted the urge tough. No matter how he looked, Caville was still as cute as a child. When he started talking about how strong he was, Elody couldn¡¯t resist smiling at his enthusiastic exnations. ¡®So I guess I should stop preparing for the divorce.¡¯ At the moment, her priority was to protect Caville from the Temple and the Imperial family. To do that, she had to increase the power of the duchy first. * * * Ever since the guests had left, the servants¡¯ felt as if a weight had just been lifted off their shoulders. ¡°Hey, you know¡­ The princess¡¯s personal maid came to me yesterday. She shamelessly asked me if the duke and duchess were sleeping in separate rooms.¡± ¡°What? How did she know?¡± ¡°She must have eavesdropped on one of the servants¡¯ conversations!¡± ¡°Are you serious? And why does she care if they use separated rooms?¡± ¡°She must have been spying for the princess!¡± Tessie and Emily were resentful about everything that had happened thanks to the guests. ¡°But, why do they use separated rooms?¡± Sylvia asked. ¡°Are you an idiot?! The madame is sick! Do you think she would want to let her husband see her in such a state?¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re right!¡± Tears umted in Sylvia¡¯s eyes and Tessie sighed as she looked at her in exasperation. ¡°Our poor madame, I hope she recovers soon¡­ What kind of disease is it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either. But people who vomit blood always end up dying¡­ Ahh!¡± ¡°Oh my Lord!¡± The maids yelled in surprise at the sudden appearance of an unfamiliar knight. ¡°Wha¡­ why are you here, Sir?¡± Emily said to the man. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The man who suddenly appeared was Heinz. Then, he spoke, ¡°¡­The madame¡¯s illness is called the Siren¡¯s Tears.¡° ¡°Siren¡¯s Tears?¡± Tessie asked while blinking in surprise. After all, the knight in front of them was a mercenary who was known to have a huge hatred towards Elody. ¡°How does Sir Heinz know about madame¡¯s illness?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a disease that makes you vomit blood and die painfully. It cannot be cured with any medication or even divine magic.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Tessie, Emily, and Sylvia stared at Heinz in shock. Not minding their painful expressions, Heinz just walked away with a gloomier look. And thatte afternoon¡­ Heinz suddenly went to Elody¡¯sb. As soon as she saw his face, she tried to ask him what was going on. However, before she could ask him, Heinz already approached her without hesitation and knelt to the ground so loudly that the sound rang throughout the whole room. Chapter 68 Chapter 68 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha After talking to Caville, Elody returned to theb. As the emperor¡¯s delegation and the people of the temple left, the mansion went back to its calm and harmonious atmosphere once more. The familiar atmosphere made Elody feel at peace again. However, she somehow felt indebted to Princess Larissa. If Caville didn¡¯t love her, then he shouldn¡¯t be forced to marry her. But¡­ ¡®Why am I doing this?¡¯ Caville and Larissa were fated to be a pair. No one should have been able to drift the two apart! It was as if Elody had interrupted their rtionship herself! Elody had been hearing those kinds of whispers in her head, and it wasn¡¯t just once or twice. Recently, there had been times when her head spun, causing her to feel dizzy. She was clearly under a lot of stress. Though, Elody eventually dismissed the thought and cleared up her mind. ¡®First, I must find out what the Temple is plotting.¡¯ To do that, she had to gather as much information as possible. Thus, Elody called Marie over. ¡°Marie, I need you to send someone to Rhondia. When Sirka returns, please tell him to contact me as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Yes, madame¡­!¡± Marie eximed as she nodded her head and left theb. And Elody, who was left alone, unfolded the documents of the herbs she had researched so far. It was important to reveal the secret of the magic tools that the Temple had, but fundamentally, it was also important not to rely too much on the Temple and the Imperial Government. She had to garner the power of the territory so that she would not be a victim of the tug of war between the Temple and the Imperial Government. Initially, the Duchy of Cernoir had maintained its own independent power when the first duke reigned thend. Now, Caville had made great strides in the war, therefore, it was certainly usible to get them both on his side. However, Caville himself didn¡¯t really need to side with anyone. ¡®Because thend has its own province in the first ce.¡¯ But this alone was not enough. Economic power was needed to affect the entire Friar continent, including the capital. In a word, money was important. ¡®I have to earn much more than now.¡¯ Elody had studied all about medicinal herbs in the past few years. It was not an exaggeration to say that she knew all the herbs in the Western continent. These were the things she studied to get the antidote for her incurable disease after all. When she was struggling to find some sort of relief, Elody found out about a lot of good things to use as business items. But there was no time. She was too busy just selling red ginseng, and at that time, she was dedicated to researching her illness. ¡®But now is time to start.¡¯ Now was the time to unfold the business ideas that had been sleeping in the dark. ¡®What should I do first?¡¯ As she was pondering for a while, someone knocked on the door of theb. Elody thought it was Anna, since she ordered her to bring back some tea. Thus, she let them in. However¡­ ¡°¡­¡­¡± The person who entered the room was not Anna. It was someone she had never thought would evere to visit her. That person was Heinz. His expression was very dark. Elody panicked and tried to ask what was going on. ¡®Did he tell someone?¡¯ Heinz came in front of Elody and boom! He immediately kneeled on the ground. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡®Ouch, his knee must have hurt¡­ Is he alright?¡¯ Elody stared at Heinz¡¯s knee. But surprisingly, he did something even more shocking! m! m! He was mming his forehead to the ground! No one could imagine how surprised Elody was when he did that. ¡®What the? Why is he doing this?! Is he crazy?!¡¯ ¡°Si-Sir Heinz! What are you doing? Please don¡¯t do this! J-just¡­! Let¡¯s just stand up and talk, alright?¡± ¡°I¡­ Forgive me.¡± Heinz raised his head and apologized. Blood flowed down his forehead. ¡®Has he really gone mad¡­?¡¯ ¡°¡­Did you tell someone about my illness?¡± Elody asked, seemingly anxious. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Heinz seemed to be pondering for a moment at Elody¡¯s question. The duchess told me not to tell anyone about her illness, but the servants already knew. So, of course, he naturally informed them about the name of the disease without having second thoughts. ¡®I don¡¯t think the madame knows¡­¡¯ The servants seemed to be hiding the fact that they knew about the madame¡¯s illness. There must be a reason as to why they kept it a secret. Elody had an impatient look on her face. ¡°Go ahead, tell me, who did you talk to?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it¡­¡± In fact, she was right, but Heinz pretended he didn¡¯t as he didn¡¯t want Elody¡¯s resentment. The servants were keeping it secret anyway, so he thought that this would be for the best. ¡°Then why are you doing this?¡± Elody¡¯s eyebrows were crumpled. ¡®I didn¡¯t tell anyone, why would I kneel for that? Besides, it¡¯s just a bleeding forehead.¡¯ But he was still uncertain. Heinz lowered his head and spoke, ¡°I have misunderstood madame¡­ and even med you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I wanted the princess to marry the lord as well. I thought madame was an extravagant and insidious person.¡± Elody had nothing to say. ¡®¡­Why is he telling me this?¡¯ She was well aware that the mercenary knights, including Heinz, hated her. But¡­ to think that he thought of her as an extravagant and insidious person¡­ There was a bitter taste in her mouth. ¡°And¡­ I also thought of madame as grotesque and nasty¡­.¡± ¡°Alright, you can stop talking.¡± Heinz was silent for a moment, he realized that he had said too much. ¡°It was my misunderstanding. I came because I wanted to apologize.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright¡­ Now hurry up, my maid, Anna, will being soon.¡± At Elody¡¯s words, Heinz felt like a huge mess. Elody frowned as she saw the blood flowing from his forehead. It must have been very painful¡­ As Elody thought in her heart, Heinz said, staring at her. ¡°I swear my loyalty to the duchess. I will bear true faith and allegiance to you, madame.¡± Elody couldn¡¯t say anything because of that determination in his eyes. ¡°Why¡­?¡± For some reason, Heinz couldn¡¯t answer that question. ¡°I hope that madame¡­ will live happily with the lord.¡± Actually, it was because he felt sorry for the duchess, but he couldn¡¯t just say that. Just for that reason, he was willing to swear his allegiance to her. Heinz wanted to be a good person, but he felt strange somehow. Was it because she reminded him of his sister? He truly wanted the duchess to be happier than anyone else. ¡°¡­That doesn¡¯t seem to have anything to do with loyalty.¡± Elody still looked at Heinz with suspicious eyes. But Heinz didn¡¯t care. ¡°¡­If you have anything you want me to do, please tell me. If you have someone in mind that you want to kill¡­¡± ¡°N-no! That¡¯s not needed! Just calm down, alright¡­? Can you please go back?¡± Elody was anxious. It seemed as if Anna coulde here at any moment now¡­ Heinz and Elody had absolutely no reason to talk alone. Elody was afraid that her illness might be revealed if people became suspicious of the two. She was not suffering from a terminal disease, and she was regrly taking her medicine. ¡°Go! Fast, fast!¡± ¡°Then¡­ do you know when you will die?¡± ¡®What? What is he¡­¡¯ ¡®Is he doing this to get through me when I die?¡¯ But there seemed to be no malice in his expression. Elody said firmly, ¡°I¡¯m not dying! I couldn¡¯t tell youst time, but my disease is not the Siren¡¯s Tears. It¡¯s not a deadly illness.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Heinz stared at her in disbelief. ¡°I¡¯m not lying. So, please forget about all of it, please.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Can you please leave?¡± ¡°Are you really not dying?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody red at Heinz. Did he want her to die quickly, or what¡­? However, Heinz¡¯s expression brightened. Heughed cheerfully even though there was still blood on his forehead. He raised his voice and asked, ¡°Is that true?!¡± ¡°Ah! Please do not speak so loudly!¡± ¡°¡­Alright. But I¡¯m still going to devote my loyalty to madame. If there¡¯s someone who offends you¡­.¡± ¡®Argh! He¡¯s making me lose my mind!¡¯ ¡°Go out quickly! Go get treatment!¡± Elody eventually began to push his back. Though he was unexpectedly strong. Heinz was pushed out of theb by Elody. Elody shut the door tight. ¡°¡­!¡± And then. Heinz wandered away from theb and ran into Anna. As soon as Anna saw Heinz, her eyes turned to that of a beast. ¡°Why did Sir Heinze out of the duchess¡¯sb?!¡± ¡°¡­Well, I had something I needed to ask her,¡± Heinz panicked and immediately ran away. Heinz felt as if a huge weight had just been lifted off his shoulders! It was so refreshing to confess his sins to the madame! And the best thing was that she wasn¡¯t dying¡­! ¡°Madame! Madame!¡± Seeing Heinz snarling past her, Anna went into theb in a rush. ¡°Madame! I saw that brute-! I mean, Sir Heinz, leaving here! He didn¡¯t harm you, right? There was blood on his forehead! Did you hit him?¡± ¡°¡­No, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Why was he here? I should really kill that loser¡­ Oops! I¡¯m sorry, that¡¯s not what I meant. What were the two of you talking about?¡± ¡°Just, well, he hurt his forehead, but he couldn¡¯t go to the barracks because of theck of medicine.¡± Elody made a rough excuse and calmed Anna down. Anna wondered about what happened but soon went back to the greenhouse. Elody, who was left alone in theb, looked again through the list of medicinal herbs. ¡®A drug that could gain a lot of money¡­ ¡® Elody¡¯s gaze stopped in front of the name of a herb. ¡®Peropesia Herbs!¡¯ It is made by a magicalbination of the ¡®Peroa¡¯ herb, which is amon wound-healing herb, and ¡®Persiak¡¯ herb, which is a nerve stabilizer. Before looking for salvation herbs, Elody tried tobine multiple herbs directly into her frustrated heart to create a new one. When the two herbs and Elody¡¯s mana fused together, the herbs were born as separate things withpletely new effects. ¡®Of course, there were cases where it became ordinary grass or poisonous grass without any function¡­¡¯ Anyway, this medicinal herb, which fused twopletely irrelevant medicinal herbs with mana, had an unusual performance. It became a drug for hair loss. Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha Elody checked the memo she wrote. The area where ??the Peropesia herb was produced¡­ ¡®It¡¯s near Baron Vendos and Baron Bernard¡¯s mansion¡­ They were in front of me the whole time!¡¯ Speaking of the two barons, it suddenly urred to her that they had requested Elody to forgive them for their past mistakes. ¡°It would be great to test their loyalty.¡± It was a great opportunity to listen to their requests while checking the efficacy and side effects of the drug she was about to market. After experimenting with the two barons, if a sessful result came out, she shall properly promote the two barons. Thus, Elody went straight to Caville. * * * ¡°I was also nning to send them to the Forest of Death, why?¡± Caville replied casually. ¡°Will there be a problem if we don¡¯t send them away?¡± Elody asked. ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t really matter, but¡­.¡± He didn¡¯t want to forgive them. Reading Caville¡¯s expression, Elody slowly persuaded him saying, ¡°Actually, I wanted to ask you about something¡­¡± ¡°What is it?! I¡¯ll listen to any of my wife¡¯s requests!¡± Caville said in an ambitious voice. ¡°Um¡­ not you. You won¡¯t be able to do it.¡± Elody looked at Caville¡¯s hair. His hair is too luscious¡­ ¡°¡­Why not? I want to help my wife too.¡± ¡°Yeah, but¡­¡± Elody then exined to him about the research she was going to do. She was going to study hair loss treatment, and she wanted to use two people as experimental subjects. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll do whatever my wife wants. I hope there are no side effects.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elodyughed awkwardly at Caville¡¯s innocent answer. It seemed that Caville still loathed the two barons. ¡®But still¡­ they fought alongside each other on the battlefield¡­ ¡® Caville said that Elody was a lot more precious to him than they were. Elody, who left Caville¡¯s office and returned to theb, suddenly remembered his confession yesterday. ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m in love with you.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no one in this world that could make me feel the way I feel about you.¡± ¡°I will do my best so that your feelings for me will change. Just wait because I will put in all of my efforts to make you mine. But¡­ if even until then you still want a divorce, then I will have no choice but to ept.¡± Caville confessed to her with such confidence and passion. Elody shook her head. ¡®It can¡¯t be.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t believe Caville¡¯s confession at all. She could only think of it as an obsession from a young child. Suddenly¡­ ¡°Ah¡­.¡± Elody touched her forehead as it throbbed painfully. ¡°Madame! Are you okay?¡± Anna said as she supported Elody¡¯s back. But Elody couldn¡¯t hear a single word. Because another loud voice echoed inside her ear. ¡®He doesn¡¯t love you, his love is fake. You can¡¯t ept it!¡¯ Someone was shouting inside her head. It felt like someone was using magic to control her. But she had never heard of such magic. Elody paused for a moment and took a deep breath, clutching her throbbing head. * * * The next day, Elody called Baron Vendos and Baron Bernard. ¡°Thank you, madame.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­!¡± When Elody told them that they didn¡¯t have to go to the Forest of Death, the two barons hugged and shed tears of emotion. The two barons had long thrown away their pride. They truly didn¡¯t want to leave their family. Because of that, the two Barons thought of the duchess as their benefactor. ¡°I have something to request from you.¡± Elody carefully spoke to them who were delighted to have escaped from death. ¡°Anything! We¡¯ll do anything! Please tell us!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! We¡¯ll do anything!¡± Elody pulled out a small bottle from the drawer. The bottle was full of small pills. ¡°This is a hair loss treatment that I developed.¡± ¡°Then¡­!¡± It was a medicine that they had never heard of. Baron Vendos and Baron Bernard had their eyes widened and alternated between Elody and the medicine. ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°Hair loss¡­¡± Hair loss was one of the two¡¯s biggest concerns. If it weren¡¯t for their hair, They would have looked 10 years younger¡­ On the battlefield, there was a time when they gently asked the priest if it was possible to fix their hair loss with divine magic? They thought it might be possible because the root of divine magic was healing. But the priest said that it was impossible. The two were disappointed. There were also some priests who were bald¡­ They thought that it couldn¡¯t be helped and decided to ept it. But now¡­ ¡°There may be side effects though¡­¡± At Elody¡¯s words, the two barons¡¯ faces suddenly darkened. ¡°Side effects¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯t hurt nor will it kill you.¡± ¡°Um¡­ Is Your Grace sure?¡± Baron Bernard was suspicious. ¡®Was she actually nning to kill us all along?!¡¯ ¡°If I wanted to kill you, I would have just sent you to the forest. It¡¯s really nothing more than hair loss treatment.¡± She wasn¡¯t wrong. After all, the two of them were old people who didn¡¯t have long to live. Baron Vendos spoke, ¡°If so, then what are the side effects¡­?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s your job. To find out the side effects,¡± Elody smiled. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡±¡­¡­¡± Baron Vendos and Baron Bernard stared at each other¡¯s faces. They were happy that they did not have to go to the Forest of Death after receiving forgiveness from the duchess¡­ They could even solve their problem for hair loss, which had long been their dream! There was no reason to reject her request! The two grinned. As long as it wasn¡¯t dying, they could endure any kind of side effects. Elody kindly exined the dosage to the two happy people. And when she was about to see the two off¡­ ¡°Ah! Madame, do you have a brother with pink hair like yours? Does Count Mcire have a son?¡± ¡°And why do you want to know about that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Actually, the man Iris fell in love with when she was younger was said to have the same pink hair as Your Grace. She insisted on searching for him¡­¡± Elody recalled her memory. The memories of her childhood before she turned 13 were faint¡­ Count Mcire had many children. Among them, two children, including Elody, were born with the same pink hair as her. But she wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°I think there was one brother with pink hair among my other siblings, but¡­ I don¡¯t remember in detail.¡± ¡°I see, I see.¡± ¡°Yes, thene to me when you feel any side effects.¡± Elodyughed and waved her hand at the two barons who were leaving. It is a medicine made using mana, so the medicinal effect will appear soon. Side effects will also appear¡­ Based on the results of the experiment with the two, Elody thought topensate them for the trouble she forced upon them. She also asked the two barons to bring more herbs as ingredients for the medicine. * * * After the guests left, Elody left a bit of her time to have lunch with Caville. And after eating, they drank tea and talked. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville nced at Elody. After his passionate love confession to Elody, Caville was working on a way to win her heart. And Ifrit was helping him. Caville read a variety of love books, including essential liberal arts books for teenagers, brought by none other than the Almighty Ifrit from the library. ¡¸The Unstoppable Duke¡¹ ¡¸The Crown Prince¡¯s Secret! 101 Ways to Seduce the Crown Princess¡¹ ¡¸One Seduction per Day, Simple Dating Skills 365!¡¹ ¡¸Twenty Years old? Start Dating right now!¡¹ ¡¸The Lord of Courtship¡¹ ¡¸My Duke is Different¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m Ready to Seduce ?¡¹ The titles were¡­ certainly unique. Caville thought that most of the book was filled with bullsh*t, but one or two of them were okay. And what he read yesterday was one of the things he thought pretty useful. Give thedy a flower! Do women really like flowers? ¡°Would she really like it?¡± Caville asked. ¡°¡­Of course!¡± Ifrit answered. Thus, Caville decided to go with the idea. He nced at Elody after recalling yesterday¡¯s conversation. ¡°Ahem! My wife,¡± Caville called her in a low voice, trying his best to sound sexy. ¡°Huh?¡± Elody turned to Caville and saw that her husband had brought a pink rose for her. ¡°These flowers are beautiful, aren¡¯t they? I brought them for you, my wife.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville looked confident. When giving flowers, he said the point was to hand only one flower. But Elody¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t very good. ¡®Could it be? Does she hate flowers? Or is she disappointed because I only brought one?¡± Caville carefully looked at Elody¡¯s eyes. Elody hesitated and opened her mouth. ¡°The flower belongs to Iris¡­¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but that flower is owned by Iris.¡± ¡®What is she saying?¡¯ Caville didn¡¯t understand and only blinked. Who was Iris? He hadn¡¯t got a clue. Elody looked troubled. She almost forgot that she had promised Iris to give all the pink roses to her. ¡®I have to pick out all the roses from the garden tomorrow, too.¡¯ Elody smiled as he looked at Caville with a nk expression. And epted the rose. ¡°Thank you, Caville.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Only then did Caville¡¯s mouth draw a pretty smile. ¡®But why are you giving me this flower?¡¯ Elody looked at the pink rose and thought. Caville doesn¡¯t know yet, but Elody was a person who had zero intellect regarding love. She was far worse than Caville. Elody put the flowers down in wonder. Caville chuckled, thinking that maybe, the feelings in his heart had reached her. ¡°¡­Ha.¡± And Marie, watching the two dense souls, shook her head in exasperation. Caville had been endlessly courting Elody for days. Unfortunately, thetter still had no idea at all. Since then, the servants of the castle have been very sorry for the duke. * * * A few dayster, the two Barons arrived with Peroa and Persiak herbs. Their bald heads were no longer there. Instead, they had full, luscious hair, as if they were wearing a wig. Indeed, the effect was great. ¡°Wow! It¡¯s perfectly splendid!¡± Elody pped her hands when she saw the two barons¡¯ hair. The expressions of the two barons were also bright. ¡°But, madame¡­¡± ¡°We did find a few side effects¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Elody waited nervously for the next word. The two barons lifted their bangs. ¡°¡­..!¡± ¡°The efficacy of the drug is enormous and my hair started growing. But¡­.¡± ¡°The day after that, our eyebrows disappeared.¡± ¡°Yes. It disappeared¡­ without a trace.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Thus, the two barons ended up looking like the male version of Mona Lisa with their seemingly bald eyebrows. Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll figure out a way to get rid of the side effects,¡± Elody said to the two eyebrowless barons. ¡°That¡¯s alright. We can just draw our eyebrows.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Men also wear makeup these days. I¡¯ve been trying to improve my makeup skillstely.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, I see,¡± Elody nodded. Truthfully, the side effect could have caused them to live the rest of their life without eyebrows¡­ Though, seeing their happy expressions, it seemed that the two barons couldn¡¯t care less. ¡°If you need our assistance, please feel free to call us again.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Elody nodded once again. In her entire life, she had never seen people who were so eager to be experimental subjects¡­ ¡®Now that I have found out the side effects, I can further improve the medicine.¡¯ Elody then sent the pink roses she had in the garden to both barons as they returned to their estates. ¡°Madame, what are the recements for the flowers in the garden?¡± ¡°.¡­.¡± At Anna¡¯s question, Elody pondered for a moment. Initially, she wanted to nt Aperia flowers¡­ But she felt irked because it reminded her of Princess Larissa. ¡°How about tulips?¡± ¡°Tulips?! Alright!¡± Anna pped her hands at Elody¡¯s suggestion. They seemed to be Anna¡¯s favorite flowers. Elody immediately called the servants to order and buy the tulip seeds. ¡°Oh, madame, will you nt them yourself?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get hurt! We¡¯ll do it, so please just take a rest, madame.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ it¡¯s alright.¡± Despite the servants¡¯ words, Elody still decided to sow the seeds with them. She was now used to the servants¡¯ overprotective actions which had be even more severe over time. But¡­ the servants weren¡¯t as gloomy as they were before. In fact, they looked incredibly happy. ¡®Are they that happy to see the guests leave¡­?¡¯ Well, they weren¡¯t ordinary guests, they were guests of the Imperial Pce and the Temple¡­ The servants¡¯ should have had lots of workload at that time. ¡®I have to give them more bonuses.¡¯ After nting the seeds, Elody reached out and began injecting mana into the ground. The purpose of that was to even out the energy of the earth. She couldn¡¯t infuse the energy of mana into the entirend, but her power to fuse a small garden or greenhouse was more than enough. As she closed her eyes and infused more and more mana, Anna¡¯s voice could be heard from behind. ¡°Oops! Madame, it¡¯s a sprout!¡± Elody immediately opened her eyes and looked at the garden. Surprisingly, the sprouts were growing right away. All the servants were surprised and looked at the garden with their mouths open. ¡®What?¡¯ Elody was also surprised. She stretched out her palm and looked down. Elody was born with the mana ofnd and wind properties. She felt that her magical power was increasing every time she nted new nts in the greenhouse or the garden¡­ If there were levels corresponding to her power, it would initially start from 0 and that increased 1 by 1. But now¡­ it felt as if her level had increased by 10 all at once! This was a great improvement for Elody. As her power increased, she could make a lot of medicines that are way more effective than the ones she had made before! Elody then headed to the greenhouse to try other nts. And¡­ Something very shocking was waiting for her in the greenhouse. * * * Meanwhile, Caville had been unable to sleep properly these past few days. When he closed his eyes to sleep, he kept seeing his wife running away from him. His worst fear was that he would be abandoned by Elody forever. ¡®This is insane¡­¡¯ If his wife knew of this, she would get bored of him for being so obsessed with her! Caville sighed. ¡°Your Grace, did you not sleep well yesterday?¡± Lewis asked while bringing him his hot tea. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Is there something on Your Grace¡¯s mind? Please do not hesitate to tell me.¡± Lewis was Caville¡¯s aide. Since Caville was also the leader of the Order of Knights, his workload was far too excessive. Therefore, to lessen his burdens. Elody asked Caville to choose an aide to help him with the job. Among the candidates that Elody gave to him, Caville selected Lewis. Thus, that was how Lewis was appointed to be the duke¡¯s aide and would often take over the duties of the lord. A good thing about him was that he was fast at doing his job and was quick to notice his mistakes. Caville also liked the fact that he, unlike the knights, had neverined about the workload. ¡°If you have any concerns, I will help you solve it!¡± Lewis was a handsome man with light brown hair and gentle eyes. Although he was a bit short, he was surprisingly popr with the young maids for some reason. ¡°Alright, now get out.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± At Caville¡¯s answer, Lewis left the office a bit dismayed. ¡®I¡¯m afraid that my wife will leave me and run away.¡¯ This was not something that he could recklessly tell to his subordinates. Caville groaned and leaned over the desk. He couldn¡¯t live like this forever. These days, not only at night but also during the day, he was endlessly afraid that his wife would run away. ¡®But I can¡¯t be in a slump like this every day¡­¡¯ He was fortunate enough to have meals with her three times a day. But it wasn¡¯t enough. He wanted to make his wife small and just carry her in his bosom. Or maybe he could be smaller and live in his wife¡¯s pocket forever. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville agonized for a while and then ordered a servant to call in the elite knight, Sr. ¡°The madame¡¯s escort?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The castle was safe, but something could happen. No one would ever know. Sr was the most reliable escort for his wife because she was a woman and she had excellent skills. ¡°Understood.¡± Sr¡¯s mouth was twitching. She couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡®Finally! I can be that cute madame¡¯s escort!¡¯ In Sr¡¯s eyes, Elody was just a cute girl like her younger sister. ¡°If my wife ns to go anywhere, then you must report it to me right away.¡± ¡°Yes? Go where?¡± ¡°Everywhere.¡± Sr¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°¡­Is Your Grace trying to spy on the madame?¡± Caville¡¯s eyebrows wrinkled at Sr¡¯s question. He wanted to say no, but truthfully, her guess was right. ¡°No, I want you to protect her.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Caville was relieved. His first problem was solved. Now, all that was left was to finish the main problem. ¡®I have tobine our rooms.¡¯ To prevent him from having anxiety at night, he had to stick to his wife¡¯s side. All the time. * * * After entering the greenhouse, Elody was left agape over the shocking scene she saw. ¡°What in heaven¡¯s name is¡­.¡± The peach tree seed which she nted a while ago had grown tremendouslyrge! It was sorge that it was ridiculous! But it did not just solely grow, the peaches were ripe as well. The fruit was so big that it was probably as big as a child¡¯s head! ¡°Holy mother of¡­¡± ¡®Am I dreaming right now?¡¯ Elody pinched herself while blinking like crazy because she didn¡¯t believe what she saw was real. ¡®It was nothing but a small sprout yesterday, so I injected a lot of mana to help its growth¡­¡¯ She used only one drop of the growth promotion ampoule. And the ampoule was not supposed to help them grow this fast in the first ce. And what¡¯s also surprising¡­ ¡°Ifrit¡­?¡± Was the puppy lying on the ground underneath the peach tree. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ifrit was currently sleeping, but weirdly enough, he looked¡­ chubby. Next to him was a bunch of peach seeds. In Elody¡¯s eyes, Ifrit looked like a stray dog¡¯s dung. Except for the fact that he was red. ¡®Ah! Ipletely forgot to lock the door yesterday!¡¯ ¡°Ifrit, wake up,¡± Elody spoke, contemting if he were the one that caused the peach tree¡¯s insane growth rate. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°You sh*tty dog, get up!¡± ¡°Wha¡­?¡± Soon, Ifrit opened his eyes as Elody kept poking his stomach with her fingers. ¡°Hey, benefactor. What did you just call me?¡± ¡°I called you a sh*tty dog. Don¡¯t go into the greenhouse without my permission next time. Understood?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°And this, did you make it grow this big?¡± ¡°You mean this peach tree?¡± ¡°Yes. Did you make it grow with magic power?¡± ¡°No? You¡¯re the one who injected mana into the soil.¡± ¡°But¡­ it wasn¡¯t that much.¡± ¡°It must be because your power has increased.¡± ¡°So suddenly?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s sudden. It could have just been blocked for some reason in the first ce.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody nced at Ifrit. Was there a connection between her incurable disease and magic power? As her health got better, her magic might have also grown significantly. Elody fiddled her fingers. Come to think of it, it had been a long time since her fingers felt numb as a rock. Meanwhile, Ifrit picked up another peach that fell to the ground and took a huge bite. ¡°This peach is fantastic! I don¡¯t need that nasty guy¡¯s mana anymore.¡± Ifrit was a spirit king who regained his powers, but he had to live his entire life dependent on Caville¡¯s mana. Aftering to the estate, Caville had an annoying expression whenever Ifrit visited him because he needed mana. When he thought about that time, Ifrit would cry out of misery. ¡®How dare he do that to me?! My poor self¡­! Boohoo!¡¯ Recently, he even had to give him love advice just to get on his good side. However, this fruit was his savior! The peaches were more than enough to be a recement for Caville¡¯s mana. ¡®Freedom¡­!¡¯ ¡°You try it too, benefactor!¡± Ifrit said with an ecstatic expression. ¡®Sweet and soft¡­ This peach is the best!¡¯ Elody looked at Ifrit¡¯s tail that was shaking constantly. Thus she decided to pick up a peach. Then she wiped it with her sleeves and took a bite. ¡°¡­!¡± The sweetness of the peach juice was spilled all over her mouth. The taste that hovered on her tongue was ridiculously sweet. And the texture was much sweeter and softer than other existing peaches. ¡°I want to change my contractor with you, benefactor,¡± Ifrit said while eating a big peach with his small mouth. Elody stared down at the peach she had created with her mana. It was addictive indeed. ¡®Won¡¯t this make a lot of money¡­?¡¯ Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha ¡°I can¡¯t believe it! I can finally eat this peach every day! Bwahahaha!¡± Ifrit eximed. ¡°Wait a sec.¡± ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± Elody red at the puppy. ¡°Who said that you¡¯re allowed to eat it every day?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Ifrit¡¯s mouth was agape after hearing the shocking news. ¡°Y-you cheapskate¡­! Both you and your crazy husband are really unmatched when ites to pettiness¡­!¡± Ifrit still remembered the day when Caville made him sign a document just to guarantee their contracted rtionship. And apparently, it was Elody who taught him that¡­ Ifrit was furious. ¡°What are you going to give me in exchange for the peaches?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Elody turned out to be worse than Caville. He, at least, had never asked for money. Caville didn¡¯t criticize him so much either¡­ ¡°If you would take, you must first give, Ifrit.¡± Elody said, stroking Ifrit¡¯s red fur. Her strokes were annoyingly pleasing, so Ifrit stoppedining and pondered about the issue. ¡°¡­I have nothing to give. But if you ask me to burn something, I can burn it to the ground.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t really want you to burn anything.¡± ¡°¡­Would you like this instead, then?¡± As if he weren¡¯t confident, he raised his fluffy paw for her to take. Elody stretched out her hand and held his paw. It was as if she was training her pet to take out his paw when she said ¡®hand!¡¯ Plus, his paw pads were so soft! It felt like she was pressing on cotton. And then. Something seemed to sparkle out from Ifrit¡¯s soft paw. And what fell on Elody¡¯s palm was¡­ ¡°¡­!¡± A small, red gemstone. Elody blinked in surprise. No matter how much she stared and examined it, it looked just like a magical crystal. ¡°The only thing I can give you is this¡­.¡± Ifrit said in a bleak voice. ¡°¡­What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an elemental crystal. It¡¯s as good as trash for me¡­ I mean, it¡¯s not that useless, but this is all that I have!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elemental crystal? Elody tried to recall where she had heard that before. She had seen it in a book she read about an Archmage that was in Caville¡¯s great-grandfather¡¯s study. An Elemental Crystal was mana itself, concentrated into a stone. It was simr to Brenbell¡¯s magic crystal, but it contained much more concentrated mana. ¡°This is garbage?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not really trash¡­¡± ¡°Uh¡­ how many more of these can you give me?¡± ¡°¡­After you finish using it and throw it away, I can give you new ones periodically.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody shouted inwardly, ¡®I¡¯ve finally found a treasure!¡¯ ¡°Okay then, in exchange for the peaches, you can give me these elemental crystals.¡± ¡°Really? Do you mean that?¡± Ifrit said while innocently blinking his eyes in astonishment. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I knew it¡­ you¡¯re a nice person, after all! You¡¯re definitely my benefactor!¡± Thus, the deal was sealed. Elody would receive a month¡¯s worth of Elemental Crystals from Ifrit, and she would, in exchange, give him peaches. After acquiring a sessful deal, Elody took the Elemental Crystal to herb and began to study it, topare how it was in contrast to Brenbell¡¯s magic crystal. Brenbell Empire¡¯s specialtyy in the production of magic crystals. ¡®I heard they had a mine, but no one knows about how the production is done in detail¡­¡¯ It was assumed that there were veins of magical crystals in specific ces in the continent, and lords and rulers of those ces kept them hidden from the public eye. However, in reality, no magic crystal mines could be found within the continent. The same was true for the Duchy of Cernoir. Thus, everyone assumed that magic crystals could only be obtained from one ce; The Brenbell Empire. And that was how the small ind empire was able to gain an enormous amount of wealth. However, the one in control of shipping the magic crystals from the Brenbell Empire to the capital was¡­ ¡®Count Borque.¡¯ Thend in the northwestern part of the Friar Continent with a port closest to the Empire of Brenbell was the Borque County. Elody¡¯s duchy was also regrly purchasing and using the magic crystals. They were a source of energy used to supply warm water or for other tasks like lighting a fire. Mages also used it to create magical artifacts. ¡®It¡¯s true. It contains more concentrated energy.¡¯ Elody had just finished inspecting the Elemental Crystal. From tomorrow onwards, she was nning on experimenting in earnest to see if it could be used in real life. If it could and if Ifrit could supply it regrly then¡­ ¡®We¡¯ll no longer have to buy magic crystals.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just that. This crystal could also be utilized for another one of her business ns! Elody stored the Elemental Crystal in a safe ce and headed for the greenhouse. Ifrit was still eating peaches. Elody approached and gazed at Ifrit, who was holding a peach and rubbing himself against the dirt. ¡®Isn¡¯t he just like a goose thatys golden eggs?¡¯ It couldn¡¯t be denied because with how much he had been eating, Ifrit¡¯s belly had turned into a chubby ball of fur. ¡°Ifrit, what you gave me earlier, how many more can you make?¡± ¡°I just gave you one before, though?¡± ¡°Well, I need more.¡± ¡°¡­Hmm. I can¡¯t make it by force. As long as I consume mana, it naturally forms bit by bit.¡± ¡°Is that so? Well, I can¡¯t help it then.¡± Anxious that Elody might rob him of the peaches again, Ifrit added. ¡°Yes, but you¡¯re a mage too, aren¡¯t you? How much do you know about mana? The mana contained in this fruit is extraordinary. However, humans like you can not increase their magical power just by eating it.¡± He was right. When she ate the fruit earlier, the only thing she felt was just how delicious it was. Other than that, she did not feel any increase in her mana. Perhaps the Elemental Crystal was special because it was created with the addition of external mana and the power of a spirit. ¡°But I still find it delicious¡­¡± ¡°S-so¡­ you¡¯re nning to give it to other people too?¡± ¡°Of course. You want to keep them all for yourself? You¡¯re one greedy little puppy, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡± Seeing Ifrit writhe again in anger, Elody spoke, ¡°I think I can grow other delicious fruits besides this peach.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± As Elody nodded, Ifrit¡¯s eyes began to shine, and his tail was wagging like crazy. ¡°Then, let us both try our best.¡± Elody grabbed Ifrit¡¯s paw and shook it as if they were shaking hands. She had gained a new business partner. * * * Elody headed to Caville¡¯s office, carrying a tray that the maids provided to her. On the tray were a bunch of peaches, fruits, and tes. Caville was the first person she thought of when she was craving to eat something delicious. Also, Elody told Anna to share some with the servants and the knights. Ifrit was a little dissatisfied with that, but he did not have the right to object. This was because the peach trees showed no signs of shrinking; it was instead flourishing with rapid growth. Knock-knock! After knocking in front of Caville¡¯s office, Elody carefully opened the door. ¡°Caville¡­¡± As she entered the room, a gust of wind came from the opened window. Caville was sitting with his eyes closed. ¡®Is he sleeping?¡¯ Elody slowly approached Caville. The white curtains fluttered in the wind from the window. Because of that, Caville¡¯s usual neat, ck hair became messy. Elody smiled as she looked at the papers piled up on the table and the documents he held in his hand. It seemed that he fell asleep while working. ¡®I feel strange. Is it because he¡¯s sleeping?¡¯ Certainly,pared to when he was young, Caville had a different aura around him. But when he smiled, she could see traces of him from childhood. When he was young, he was as pretty as a girl, but now he looked masculine. ¡®¡­¡­¡¯ Elody approached Caville, carefully removed the papers from his hand, and put them on the table. ¡®How did he grow up so fast?¡¯ Nheless, Elody was proud of what he had be. Elody felt relieved because Caville was doing really well. A few days ago, when Elody came to his office, she saw Caville working skillfully and thought that he was amazing. Some say that when people were working hard on their job, they would look cool. Elody thought Caville was cool too. But that was all. There was nothing deeper to her feelings. As if she was brainwashed, Elody believed so in her mind and refused to think otherwise. Caville¡¯s confession was a lie, and she could never love Caville. But whenever she was with him¡­ ¡°I feel weird¡­ Is it because I¡¯mfortable around him?¡± When she looked into Caville¡¯s eyes, she would sometimes think that he might actually love her. Elody quietly reached out and swept Caville¡¯s hair. ¡®When we were young, I used to stroke his hair just like this¡­ .¡¯ Suddenly¡­ Caville opened his eyes and grabbed her arm. ¡°¡­!¡± Elody was startled as he pulled her waist when she tried to release his grip from her hand. ¡°C-Caville¡­!¡± Thus, she fell onto hisp. Caville stared at Elody without answering and hugged Elody¡¯s waist tightly. ¡°Wife.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡®Since when was he awake?¡¯ Elody¡¯s ears started to turn red. She was shy, embarrassed, and couldn¡¯t even think straight. ¡°Why are you so surprised? In the past, I used to sit on yourp like this.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°What my wife did for me, I¡¯ll try to give it back.¡± ¡°Caville¡­¡± Elody was embarrassed by Caville¡¯s brazenness. When he confessed and when Caville did stuff like this, Elody couldn¡¯t see him as a child anymore. ¡°¡­¡­¡± He was like a strange man¡­ ¡®It¡¯s ufortable and weird¡­¡¯ Thump-thump-thump! Elody could feel her heart beating intensely. She bit her lips, feeling her cheeks burning like fire. Caville¡¯s ears were also red. He whispered in a subtle voice, ¡°My wife¡­¡± ¡°N-no!¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Elody pushed Caville, stood up, and looked at him with a stern expression. ¡°Y-you! I¡¯m, uh¡­ I-I¡¯m not doing this with us being adults!¡± Elody shouted, bewildered over what had just happened. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Then, she turned her back and stormed out of the office. Chapter 72 Chapter 72 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha Believe it or not, Caville wasn¡¯t that pampered when he was young. Ever since he turned 10, Elody had raised him strictly. Whenever Caville did something wrong, she would severely rebuke him so that he could learn from his mistakes. Just like what she did now. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Caville admitted that he was in the wrong, he pouted his lips and kept bowing his head, feeling guilty over what he had just done. Elody was flustered to a great extent. She had never blushed this hard in all of her life. The amount of awkwardness and embarrassment she felt could not be exined with simple words. ¡°Wife! Please don¡¯t go, my wife!¡± Caville jumped up and followed his wife. As Elody ran to the stairs, Caville stopped her by grabbing her hand. ¡°Wife! I was just kidding! I went too far¡­ Please don¡¯t leave! I was wrong!¡± Caville eximed, still holding her hand while in panic. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody¡¯s heart weakened at his words. This was just like when they were children. Her scolding him whenever he made a mistake, and him apologizing his heart out to avoid being abandoned by his only family. Though in the end, she would always forgive him. That pitiful expression of his had never failed to melt her heart. When she thought about it, Caville¡¯s appearance might actually be her weakness. ¡®I always remember that time when he cried in the market, telling me not to leave him¡­¡¯ After seeing Elody¡¯s weakened expression, Caville held her hand tighter. ¡°Let¡¯s go back, alright? Please¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± In the end, Elody chose to let it all go. She couldn¡¯t help it. This dumb idiot was too cute for her to stay mad at. Plus, she was also weak whenever she saw his charming smile. ¡°An escort?¡± Elody asked, watching Caville skillfully shearing the peaches with a chopstick. After the quarrel, Elody was back in Caville¡¯s office again. ¡°Yes. I know that we have lots of guards here in the mansion, but¡­ There are many knights that both of us are unfamiliar with. Plus, I¡¯m afraid that something might happen since lots of merchants keep entering and leaving the mansion.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡± ¡°My wife, you have to agree with me on this one. Please?¡± ¡°.¡­Alright,¡± Elody nodded. Dame Sr was ufortable when listening to the conversation between the two¡­ Dame Sr was a knight who would joke with Elody and tease her endlessly ever since she was young. However¡­ Elody stared at Caville who was still slicing the peaches. The cuts he made were perfect. Every slice was wless and had no rough edges whatsoever. Furthermore, the peaches were cut into pieces of the exact same size! How was he able to cut them with such precision? ¡°By the way, Caville, when did you learn how to cut fruit?¡± ¡°This is my first time.¡± ¡°What?! But how are you this good?¡± ¡°I handle knives well,¡± he grinned, ¡°All kinds of des to be exact.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± To think that he would say such words with those pure, innocent eyes. Elody gulped. Well, Caville did grow up on a battlefield. ¡°But what¡¯s up with the sudden increase of peaches in our stockpile?¡± To answer Caville¡¯s question, Elody stabbed a piece of neatly-sliced-peach with a fork. And brought it to Caville¡¯s mouth. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville stared into Elody¡¯s eyes and took a bite. ¡®Why are his lips so pretty?¡¯ Elody thought as she looked at Caville¡¯s luscious, red lips. ¡°It¡¯s sweet.¡± ¡°It is, isn¡¯t it?¡± Elody replied awkwardly, looking away from Caville¡¯s lips. She exined why she was growing peaches in the greenhouse and also about the elemental crystals she obtained from Ifrit. After seeing his wife¡¯s excitement, Caville smiled whilst saying that it tasted good. ¡°You¡¯ve finally made good use of Ifrit.¡± ¡°Caville, are you mad?¡± ¡°Why would I be mad?¡± ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t like me being close to Ifrit.¡± ¡°¡­I mean, yeah, I guess I do hate it.¡± ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have to. I have never intended to take Ifrit away from you.¡± ¡°What?¡± The temple was aiming for Ifrit¡¯s power. Thus, Elody thought that Caville would be overprotective of Ifrit. Caville was confused for a while, before finally understanding what she meant and sighed in exasperation. ¡°¡­¡­¡± His wife was incredibly dense. He even confessed to her about how much he loved her! Had she already forgotten? ¡®¡­Am I not attractive?¡¯ Caville thought he had to quickly merge their rooms back. ¡°My wife, I have a request.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°That, uh¡­ Our rooms¡­¡± As Caville was about to continue¡­ Knock-knock! ¡°Madame! Are you in here?¡± Marie¡¯s voice was suddenly heard from outside the office. ¡°Yes,e in,¡± Elody said as the maid came in. ¡°Madame, I got a call from Rhondia. A letter from Sirka!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Elody jumped up from her seat. ¡°Caville, let¡¯s talkter if it¡¯s not urgent.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, wife.¡± Elody quickly left the office. Marie took a glimpse at Caville who was somewhat depressed before following Elody outside. ¡°¡­This is bad.¡± Elody read Sirka¡¯s letter with a stern look on her face. Sirka was now in the capital to solve the problem of the fake medicine. It just started with fake pain relievers, but now¡­ they even had to deal with fake red pills being sold in the market! ¡¸ The more I investigated, the more strange it became. It seems that there is a greater force involved in this issue. Sooner orter, I will visit the Cernoir mansion and exin in greater detail. I think I will need your help, madame. ¡¹ After reading thest sentence, Elody sighed. Counterfeit drugs were full of all kinds of side effects. It was purposely messed up! ¡®Worst of all, it looks the same as the real ones¡­¡¯ She didn¡¯t know why someone was trying to mock the medicine she had made. ¡®Or¡­ they could just be aiming for easy money.¡¯ ¡°Madame, are you alright?¡± Elody smiled at Marie. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He said he wille to the estate soon.¡± ¡°Phew, that¡¯s great. Oh, Madame! Everyone told me that the peaches are delicious!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes! And as you¡¯ve ordered, I gave extra packages to Lord Byron. I¡¯m sure Julia will love it!¡± ¡°Haha! Well done.¡± Elody pondered for a moment. She remembered that Caville really loved fruit tarts when he was a kid¡­ ¡°Marie, shall we make peach tarts?¡± ¡°Tart? Oh, that sounds good! It will be very tasty!¡± Elody headed to the kitchen with Marie. Elody was currently baking tarts with the maids. ¡°Wow, madame! It looks perfectly splendid!¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t it?¡± After the tarts were finished, Elody gave a few for Caville and then distributed the rest to the knights and servants. Caville was immensely touched, saying, ¡°Are these from you, my wife?¡± When he was young, Elody made it quite often¡­ However, it was the first time she baked one ever since he returned. Elody felt bad as she didn¡¯t really care for him as much as she did before. ¡°It looks delicious!¡± ¡°Next time, I¡¯ll make it with your favorite fruit.¡± ¡°Thank you, my wife,¡± he grinned. Seeing Caville¡¯s pretty smile, Elody left the office with pride. She was now able to treat him affectionately again, that is¡­ until she realized the feelings in her heart. Whenever she was with Caville, her heart throbbed and she would feel all sorts of unknown emotions. But as soon as she left Caville¡¯s office, a small voice kept whispering in her head. ¡®He doesn¡¯t love you. Because his destiny is to be with Princess Larissa¡­¡¯ Yes, that¡¯s right. She shouldn¡¯t be swayed so easily. Elody nodded as if she was brainwashed. On the other hand, Caville¡¯s head was filled with rainbows, clouds, and happiness. ¡®My wife baked these herself for me¡­¡¯ He hoped that maybe his wife would love him too. He had butterflies in his stomach. Caville emptied all the tarts that Elody had made. As a child, he liked sweets, but as he grew up, he did not enjoy sweets. But if they were made by his wife, he would not hesitate to gulp them all down. These were blissful days for Caville. On his way to the afternoon training, Caville identally eavesdropped on the knights¡¯ conversations. ¡°Then, did the lord and the princess break up?¡± ¡°I see, I was wondering why the duke still hasn¡¯t divorced his wife.¡± It was a conversation between the knights who heard the newste because they have been home for a while before returning to the mansion. At the word of ¡®divorce¡¯, Caville jumped at the knights like a beast pouncing on its prey. Then he called Brien and asked, ¡°The knights are spreading out lies! Why do they keep saying that I¡¯m going to divorce my wife?!¡± ¡°¡­T-that¡¯s.¡± Caville actually did not have as much interest in the knights before or after returning to the estate. So he didn¡¯t know what they were thinking, and he didn¡¯t even try to pay attention to them. But now, when he heard the word ¡®divorce,¡¯ he could not help feeling that his veins would burst from the increased blood pressure at any moment now. Divorce¡­ Caville still couldn¡¯t forget the shock he had gotten from when Elody tried to divorce him¡­ He immediately summoned the knights and warned them firmly. ¡°If I ever hear you guys talking about me and my wife¡¯s divorce again, I will cut your necks and hang it in front of the gate!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The knights were shocked and confused. What in the world was he talking about? Some of the knights had only just returned to the estate, so they genuinely didn¡¯t know what he was talking about¡­ Ever since that day, the knights had to undergo an intense amount of training. It felt like hell. And after that terrible training¡­ ¡°The duchess made these peach tarts?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Caville said as he showed off his wife¡¯s generosity. Caville, who was usually infamous for giving the cold-feet, was actually boasting about his wife in front of the knights! Caville recalled what Brien had said. ¡°Well, Your Grace had never said anything to us¡­ So how should we know? Do you actually have a good rtionship with the madame?¡± ¡°Are you saying that it¡¯s my fault?!¡± ¡°N-no! That¡¯s not it, but¡­ Please try to understand and think of it from our perspectives. We just want what¡¯s best for you, Your Grace.¡± Truthfully, his words did make sense to some extent. Caville decided to confide his worries to the knights from today onwards. Mostly about how much he loved his wife. The knights also needed to know. It would be better if they all watched together to prevent his wife from running away. ¡°The tart, we were¡­¡± ¡°Shh! Quiet.¡± The knight was about to say that they ate the tarts because they thought the maids made them. Fortunately, Heinz¡¯s hand was fast enough to cover his mouth and prevent him from his impending doom. Heinz quickly spoke to escape from the duke¡¯s wrath. ¡°Ah! So the madame made these by herself? She¡¯s incredibly skilled!¡± ¡°Of course! Who do you think she is? My wife is the best at¡­ Wait, what¡¯s wrong with your forehead?¡± Caville said as he stared at Heinz¡¯s forehead while raising an eyebrow. Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha The wound on his forehead was still red. ¡°I¡­ identally rammed into a wall. Please don¡¯t worry about it, Your Grace,¡± Heinz said, dripping in a nervous sweat. He mmed his forehead to the ground so that the duchess would forgive him. But he could never say that to the duke, for it would lead to his demise. ¡®I mean, the reason I apologized in the first ce was because I cursed the madame behind her back!¡¯ If Heinz told him the truth, there¡¯s no guarantee that he would ever make it back alive. ¡°¡­¡­¡± On another side of the room, a gloomy Therion could be seen. ¡°Why did the princess have to leave?¡± Therion asked after being silent the whole time. Caville¡¯s eyes then turned to him. ¡°How could Your Grace send her away like that?¡± Therion¡¯s added. Hearing his atrocious words, Heinz gave Therion a death re. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to keep the emperor¡¯s envoys in my residence for too long,¡± Caville answered coldly. The knights, who did not like the Imperial Government nor the Temple, grinned in satisfaction at the refreshing answer. ¡®That damn traitor!¡¯ Therion hadn¡¯tmitted a major sin but not in Heinz¡¯s eyes. If looks could kill, Therion¡¯s would¡¯ve died ten times over, just by his re. After wrapping that up, Caville paced back and forth in front of Elody¡¯sb. ¡®How do I bring up the topic of sleeping together in the same room with her? How do I phrase it so that my wife doesn¡¯t refuse?¡¯ Fortunately, Caville was finally able toe up with a good idea after much consideration. The next day, Elody woke up early in the morning, washed up, and left her chambers. ¡°Good morning, madame.¡± Dame Sr was waiting for her as it was her first day as the duchess¡¯s escort. There was a hint of a gentle smile in her gaze as she greeted Marie, who stood beside Elody. ¡°From today onwards, I shall be your escort. I look forward to working with you, madame.¡± ¡°¡­Ah, yes. May I ask why you are here so early?¡± ¡°I¡¯m hoping to match your schedule with mine. Will madame be going to theb now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Fortunately, Sr was able to escort Elody without any trouble. Elody thought that she would feel ufortable if someone followed her everywhere she went. But surprisingly, she did not feel that way with Dame Sr at all. It was probably because Dame Sr wasn¡¯t as mischievous as she was when they were young. After arriving at theb, Elody quickly started doing her work. First of all, she had upgraded the machine used to make red pills. Because of the Elemental Crystals, Elody was able to use them to reduce the machine¡¯s noises and increase the efficiency of the magic tools. It was a great oue. It was confirmed that with Ifrit alone, there would no longer be any need to purchase mana crystals. ¡®What else can I do with these Elemental Crystals?¡¯ Her curiosity as a schr overcame her. Elody took out the sacred tools that the temple had left behind. ¡°I think I can make something like this¡­.¡± This divine magic tool was made by one of the high priests, and the material used was probably from a magical crystal. There was a tight connection between divine power andplex magical forms. Elody did not think that pure mana obtained from nature was any less than divine power. Instead, she thought that maybe the power of this mana created nature, might be stronger than divine power. ¡®I need to look it up a little more in that book.¡¯ Elody headed for the mansion, recalling the book she had found in Caville¡¯s great-grandfather¡¯s study. Then, as she went down the stairs with various books from the study, she ran into Heinz who had a bright expression on his face. ¡°Madame¡­!¡± Heinz eximed. ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°Why is Sir Heinz approaching us?¡± Sr asked, puzzled. She was confused as to why the knight looked so happy to see the duchess. Elody shook her head, telling her that she didn¡¯t know the reason as well. Heinz approached the two with an awkward smile. ¡°Madame¡­ I saw that you weren¡¯t in theboratory.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on, Sir Heinz?¡± Elody asked. ¡°I have something to tell the madame¡­. Will you please excuse us both Dame Sr?¡± Heinz spoke, looking at Sr. ¡°Unfortunately, I cannot. From today onwards, I have been appointed as the madame¡¯s escort. So I must guard her at all times,¡± Dame Sr responded. ¡°Huh? Why did the duke choose you to be the duchess¡¯s escort?¡± ¡°Why not? Do you have a better choice?¡± ¡°Well, I think I¡¯m a good choice,¡± Heinz grinned at his words. ¡°¡­I think not. I mean, the lord has entrusted me with this position. Therefore, he trusts me more than you.¡± Heinz¡¯s eyes narrowed at Sr¡¯s answer. ¡°Whatever¡­ I need to have a word with the duchess, so please leave us be.¡± ¡°A word? With the madame? What could you possibly even talk to her about?¡± As Dame Sr was unwilling to cooperate, Heinz shifted his gaze at Elody to plead for help. ¡°¡­Dame Sr, please give us a minute¡­.¡± ¡°¡­Understood, madame.¡± At Elody¡¯s words, Sr sighed and went back a few steps. Elody stared at Heinz anxiously, fearing that he would bang his forehead to the ground again. The bruise on his forehead was still not healed. ¡®He¡¯s insane¡­¡¯ ¡°Madame, it¡¯s about Sir Therion!¡± ¡°What about him?¡± ¡°It seems that he¡¯s in love with Princess Larissa!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I saw him drooling at her this morning! Plus, he kept saying Princess this, Princess that¡­ That basta-! I mean Sir Therion is a traitor!¡± ¡°Ah, I see. But why would you¡­¡± Then, Heinz got straight to the point. ¡°That guy stood up for the princess in front of the knights! He took her side! Not Your Grace¡¯s!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡®So what¡­¡¯ Elody blinked and stared at Heinz. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the same? Didn¡¯t you take Her Highness¡¯s side as well?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You said it with your own mouth. You hated me¡­ You wanted Her Highness and His Grace to get married.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not¡­.¡± ¡°Are you here to frame Sir Therion?¡± Elody asked while creasing her eyebrows. Heinz was confused when hearing her response, and his mouth was left agape. ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± Elody sighed and left. Dame Sr quickly followed her. As she nced back, she noticed Heinz¡¯s sullen expression. The other also maids passed by while groaning and avoided him. ¡°Madame, Sir Heinz can be a bit rude sometimes. But please understand. He¡¯s a mercenary, so he hasn¡¯t gotten the opportunity to learn about etiquette.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± ¡®Sir Therion likes Princess Larissa¡­¡¯ Therion was quite popr among the maids because of his handsome appearance and well-manners. Sir Heinz, on the other hand¡­ was quite the opposite. It seemed that the maids were scared of him as they avoided him every time. However, Elody paid no mind to that and went back to theb to continue on her research instead. Then, as she read more books, she learned that elemental crystals were used to create ancient artifacts. The brooch that belonged to the first Duke of Cernoir was also made of elemental crystal. These days, artifacts were created by mages with simple magic. But what Caville had was an ancient artifact. A rare artifact that contained ancient magic. The Temple¡¯s relics were also ancient artifacts. Ancient artifacts were made by legendary mages that dealt with all spirits a long time ago. Elody also began to study what the elemental crystals can do. ¡®What if Ibine these with the magic pills or some herbs?¡¯ She would be able to make potions! And maybe¡­ ¡®It might be possible to cure my illnesspletely.¡¯ Elody¡¯s heart leaped for joy. After his morning duties, Caville took a break before having lunch with Elody. He and his aide, Lewis, left the office and headed for the parlor on the first floor. Along the way, Caville saw a bunch of maids gathered in one corner, muttering about something. He approached them quietly and saw a piece of paper they were looking at. ¡°My lord!¡± One of the maids was surprised when she saw Caville. ¡°Ah! We deeply apologize, my lord!¡± She said whilst bowing her head. ¡°What is that?¡± Caville pointed to the paper. Having no other choice, Marie carefully handed over the paper to him. ¡°¡­¡­¡± There were the knights¡¯ names written on the paper. And they were written in order¡­ like a poprity vote. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Umm¡­ That¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s just a joke between us. Please keep it a secret from the butler, my lord!¡± If Norman ever finds out, he would scold them nonstop! ¡°Is this a poprity vote?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Caville slowly looked through the rankings. In first ce was Therion. Sr and Ren were tied for second ce, and Sir Heron, who was famous for his handsome looks, ced third on the list. Unfortunately, Brien and Heinz weren¡¯t even named at all. Come to think of it, his wife really cared for the servants. Furthermore, the maids that she was close to were given so much care and attention that even Caville started to get jealous. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Suddenly, a good idea ran through Caville¡¯s mind. Elody headed to the mansion to have lunch with Caville. Throughout lunch, Caville kept staring at Elody with a nervous expression. Unfortunately, his wife paid no mind to that, or rather, she did not notice it at all. She was far too busy thinking about the Salvation Herbal Tea. ¡®Would I be able to find the remedy if Ibine the stem of the Salvation Herb and elemental crystal together?¡¯ If she finds the cure, she wouldn¡¯t have to vomit blood anymore. It was not that she had not made numerous medicines with the herbs. However, the leaves and stems of the Salvation Herb only showed positive results when consumed with tea. That was why it had side effects. ¡°Um, my wife.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Look at this.¡± Caville pulled out the paper he had hidden. It was the result of a poprity vote that he took from the maids earlier. ¡°It¡¯s a ranking of the knights that the maids made ording to their poprity. Oh, and they told me not to tell Norman.¡± ¡°Alright?¡± Elody smiled and looked at the paper. ¡°Why is Lord Vedos¡¯s name not here?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°As expected, Sir Therion is number one¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡¯As expected?¡¯ What do you mean by that?¡± Caville furrowed his eyebrows. ¡®Does she really think that he deserves first ce?!¡¯ ¡°Because he¡¯s handsome.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville tried to picture Therion¡¯s face in his mind. However, he still couldn¡¯t understand which part about his face was attractive. ¡®Is Sir Therion my wife¡¯s ideal type?!¡¯ ¡°Do you like Sir Therion, my wife?¡± ¡°What? Of course not.¡± Caville stared closely at her expression to make sure that she wasn¡¯t lying. ¡®Well, she does look honest.¡¯ ¡°There¡¯s something else that I wanted to talk about with you, my wife¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about the maids. They seem rather anxious these days¡­¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± As expected, Elody was bewildered. ¡°Because we sleep in separate rooms, people still think that we might get a divorce¡­ I¡¯m afraid that others might spread false rumors about us.¡± Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha ¡°What?¡± Elody asked. ¡°Especially Marie¡­ She¡¯s been crying a lot. The knights were also worried about us,¡± Caville responded. ¡°Even the knights?¡± Caville nodded with a serious expression. ¡°Actually, there was a rumor that the emperor wants me to get married to Princess Larissa. Besides. It might be because we use separate rooms¡­.¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± ¡°We started sleeping in different rooms as soon as I returned to the duchy, so it¡¯s natural that the servants are worried about us¡­¡± ¡°I¡­ guess that¡¯s true.¡± His words made sense. She even began to feel bad for making Marie cry. ¡°At times like this, shouldn¡¯t we show them how good our rtionship is? As the ruler of the duchy, I want to give faith to the servants, the knights, and the citizens as well.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes, you¡¯re right.¡± When Elody nodded to his words, Caville¡¯s heart leapt for joy. But on the outside, he pretended to look as if he were anxious. ¡°If the rumors keep circting around the duchy, it could pose a problem in the future as people will look down on us. Besides, the Temple is also trying to hurt me¡­ What if I get assassinated while sleeping at night?¡± At those words, Elody¡¯s expression was stained with shock. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m strong so you don¡¯t have to worry about me too much. But they might mistake my room for yours and hurt you instead! I¡¯m worried about you and I can¡¯t sleep at night because of that.¡± Actually, the reason he couldn¡¯t sleep was because he was afraid that Elody might try to run away again. Of course, Ifrit had been guarding Elody every day because of Caville¡¯smand, but he was still worried nheless. ¡°You haven¡¯t been able to sleep?¡± Elody stared at Caville¡¯s face. It seemed that he was honest since his eyes were red. ¡°Yes, I have nightmares because my wife isn¡¯t next to me,¡± Caville said as he tried his best to look as pitiful as possible. Elody bit her lips. ¡°So, my wife¡­ How about we sleep in the same room again, like we did when we were young? I promise that I won¡¯t do anything to make you feel ufortable.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody pondered for a moment and then nodded her head. If rumors spread that the ducal couple was not on good terms, then it would pose a threat to the duchy. And when she thought that in the middle of the night, assassins mighte for Caville¡¯s head, fear came over her. ¡®I have to protect Caville,¡¯ she vowed to herself. ¡°Alright. But let¡¯s put two beds in the room instead,¡± she said. ¡°¡­Yes,¡± Caville spoke as he reluctantly nodded his head. * * * That afternoon. Elody was also busy that day. She used elemental crystals to transform the seeds of a fruit. Then, she nted it on a plot of soil in the greenhouse. During the process of nting, she injected a small amount of mana into the soil. Suddenly, there was a gleam of light that shed before her eyes. ¡°¡­What?¡± Elody lifted her head and looked around her surroundings while blinking her eyes. She had been having hallucinationstely, and often got dizzy sometimes¡­ ¡®Was it just my imagination?¡¯ ¡°What just happened?¡± Ifrit, who was lying underneath the peach tree, wandered over and asked her. ¡°Just now? Did you feel it too?¡± ¡°.¡­The ground certainly vibrated lightly.¡± ¡°I nted the seeds that were made out of elemental crystals. Is it because of that?¡± ¡°If you injected mana there, then probably yes. It¡¯s alright though since the air actually feels a lot fresher!¡± Ifrit¡¯s expression was bright. Fortunately, nothing bad seemed to have happened. ¡°Well, that¡¯s great. By the way, this nt is something that you might like, Ifrit,¡± Elody smiled, pointing to where she nted the seeds. ¡°Really? How long will it take for it to grow?!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know for sure. It can grow as fast as the peach tree¡­ Or it can take longer.¡± Ifrit stomped to where the seeds were sown. ¡°Calm down, Ifrit,¡± Elody said as she stroked Ifrit¡¯s fur, ¡°Let¡¯se here again when it sprouts. Okay?¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Her warm strokes made Ifrit feel a bit better. Although Elody was a far more nasty contractor than Caville, she was at least more gentle than Caville. Ifrit liked the greenhouse and the owner of it very much. Suddenly¡­ ¡°Madame!¡± Someone called out her name. ¡°Anna, what¡¯s going on?¡± Elody asked ¡°Sir Vedos is here to see you,¡± Anna answered. ¡°Sir Vedos?¡± As she walked out of the greenhouse, she met a gloomy-looking Brien. ¡°Madame¡­!¡± ¡°Sir Vedos, what are you doing here? If you have something to say, doe in¡­¡± ¡°You have toe with me quickly, madame! There¡¯s no time!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Unlike usual, Brien made a huge fuss. Not only Elody but also Anna and Sr, who were watching them from behind, seemed surprised by his actions. ¡°You two don¡¯t have toe!¡± Brien said to Anna and Sr. ¡°But¡­!¡± Before Anna could continue, Sr stopped her by giving her a gesture saying that Elody would be fine. Thus, Elody followed Brien. The ce that Brien led her to was the forest behind the greenhouse. The ce where she had gotten caught on vomiting blood by Heinz. ¡°Look over there!¡± Elody looked at where Brien was pointing. ¡°Marie?¡± Marie was there. And she was talking¡­ To an unfamiliar-looking man. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody nced at Brien with a sympathetic expression. ¡°¡­Marie doesn¡¯t even want to see me, and now she¡¯s seeing an apprentice. She left me¡­¡± Brien was the vicemander of the knights whose family had been loyal to the Duke of Cernoir for multiple generations. But to think that he would lose to an apprentice. Brien was utterly frustrated. Elody looked at the man standing next to Marie. He was a handsome boy with a shy expression. ¡®Marie is being courted¡­?¡¯ Elody patted Brien on the back. ¡°Cheer up, Sir Vedos.¡± ¡°¡­Ugh, sniff.¡± ¡°But what did you do to get dumped?¡± When she asked Marie in the past, she only replied to her saying that Sir Vedos was too old. She said that ever since he left for the battlefield, he had always looked twice his age. ¡°I¡­ madame¡­ to Marie.¡± ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± ¡°I made a mistake by talking bad about madame to Marie.¡± ¡°Did you curse at me behind my back, Sir Vedos?!¡± Elody asked, bbergasted. ¡®Did the knights hate me that much that even Sir Vedos started talking about me?¡¯ Elody felt betrayed. ¡°N-no! Rather than cursing at you¡­ I just said that the two of you were going to divorce and that I wish the princess and the lord well¡­¡± ¡°I see¡­ I thought you were having an affair.¡± ¡°I would never cheat on Marie!¡± ¡°Yes, whatever you say¡­¡± Elody nodded. She had nothing else to say. He thought that Caville and Larissa were going to marry each other, but she also thought the same in the past. So she couldn¡¯t really me him. ¡°Marie¡¯s very angry at me¡­ Madame, can you please forgive me and help me speak to Marie? Please?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Seeing his expression, Elody felt a bit sorry for him. However, Marie was far more precious to her than he was. ¡°Sir Vedos. Love is so short while forgetting is so long. However, an old love can be reced with a new one. Let go of Marie and find another woman instead.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°There are a lot of other single women here in the duchy. You could just go to the market right now and search for one. Also, do something about your appearance.¡± ¡°Madame¡­¡± ¡°Would you like me to give you some red ginseng? It¡¯s good for your skin.¡± ¡°¡­I, uh¡­¡± Elodyforted him by patting Brien¡¯s back. ¡®Speaking of which¡­ Was the forest always like this?¡¯ Elody began to look around her surroundings. The forest was a bit¡­ ¡®No, it has changed a lot.¡¯ It seems that there were a lot more trees than before¡­ Elody walked away from Brien. The fresh air entered her lungs through her nose. ¡®Did the forest grow by itself?¡¯ Elody was puzzled as she passed through the small forest. Suddenly, a beautiful sight came to her eyes. She was agape as she saw the unfolding scene. Originally, there was only an empty field with a murky river behind the small forest. But now, the field was filled with yellow flowers in full bloom, and the water was no longer murky. In fact, it was translucent and sparkly clean! There seemed to be a lot of fish swimming inside it as well! ¡®Surely¡­¡¯ Elody looked down at her palm. A little while ago, when she nted a seed that wasbined with an elemental crystal, a gleam of light suddenly shed before her eyes. Ifrit said that it was because of her mana. ¡®He also said that the peach tree grew fast because my magic powers had increased.¡¯ If so, could it have caused this as well? It was clear that something had changed. Elody headed back to the forest. She observed the forest more closely than before. Then, she found something strange. ¡®What in the world¡­¡¯ The ce where Elody stopped was in front of a pine mushroom tree. ¡®It¡¯s not even autumn, but there are matsutake mushroom trees!¡¯ It was definitely a pine mushroom tree. Elody picked the matsutake mushrooms and smelled them. She sniffed the scent of the mushrooms and it was amazing. Furthermore, the tree was muchrger in size than an ordinary pine mushroom tree. ¡®I have to harvest them and grill the matsutakes.¡¯ Elody turned her head and looked at the trees around her. There were various trees with mushrooms in them that came into Elody¡¯s line of sight. ¡®Impossible¡­¡¯ It was still spring. Of course, there were numerous types of mushrooms that grow in the spring or summer¡­ However, the mushrooms in front of her were all those that grew in autumn or winter! And¡­ ¡®It¡¯s a raspberry!¡¯ There were ridiculously many raspberries hanging from the rosewood. And next to it, were trees full of ckberries and magnolia berries. Elody picked the raspberry and ate it. ¡®It¡¯s sweet¡­¡¯ Elody looked at the raspberries, the matsutake mushrooms in her hand, the various mushrooms grown on other trees, the ckberries, and the magnolia berries in turn. This was it. The same feeling she had when she discovered ginseng a few years ago. It was¡­ the beautiful smell of money. Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha Elody quickly ran back to theb with the matsutake mushroom in her hand. She nced at Brien but soon ignored him. ¡°Madame, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Madame, what were you doing?¡± As soon as Elody entered theb, Anna and Dame Sr bombarded her with a lot of questions. ¡°You two! Come with me, quickly!¡± Elody said as she brought a few baskets. The two were confused, but they still followed Elody nheless. ¡°Vicemander, what are you doing there¡­¡± ¡°Quickly this way!¡± On the way to the forest, they passed by Sir Brien who looked like he had been crying. Sr raised one of her brows as if she had seen something strange. She wanted to ask him about what had happened, but Sr was forced to pass him by because Elody was her first priority. ¡°Oh, the forest¡­.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Anna and Sr looked around their surroundings in wonder. The forest had drastically changed! ¡°Now, the two of you will be harvesting these mushrooms and berries! I¡¯ll have to test if the mushrooms are poisonous, so you only have to pick one each.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, madame!¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Elody gave the two baskets and began to gather mushrooms and berries together. There were many big rocks along the way, but Elody skillfully walked on top of them. She observed the mushrooms one by one to see if any of them were poisonous. Fortunately, based on Elody¡¯s knowledge regarding mushrooms, none of them were. ¡°It¡¯s a reishi mushroom!¡± Like ginseng, reishi mushroom was one of the things called elixir grass. This mushroom is good for high blood pressure, so if you mix it with mulberry leaves that have the same effect, you will be able to make a high blood pressure medicine with excellent effects. ¡®I¡¯ll be able to earn as much profit as I did with the red ginseng!¡¯ Elody¡¯s heart shouted for delight. * * * As soon as Elody returned to herboratory, she began testing the toxicity of the mushrooms right away. ¡®I have to make it as good as possible before Sirkaes.¡¯ She would make drugs beforehand and when Sirka returns, she would sign another contract with him right away. The hair loss pills were already being mass-produced with upgraded magic tools. Of course, the side effects had already been eliminated and they were now made into small pills to enable long-term use. That way, the medicine would surely sell for a long time. ¡°Madame, are all these fruits different? Can I eat them?¡± Anna, asked with her curious look on her face. ¡°This is raspberry, and this is ck raspberry. They look simr, but their effects are a bit different. This magnolia berry, on the other hand, is good to drink with tea or alcohol. Would you like to try it?¡± Elody was excited to be able to obtain fruits with different effects. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s so sweet!¡± Anna eximed after eating the raspberries. ¡°I want to try it too,¡± Dame Sr said. Then, Elody put a raspberry in her mouth. ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s sweet!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll call the maids tomorrow so that we can make different types of drinks with this. Oh, and let¡¯s make jam too!¡± ¡°Jam? Alright! I think it will be fun!¡± Anna said while pping her hands, ¡°But, madame, there are a lot of huge rocks in the forest. Don¡¯t we have to remove them first?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll call the apprentice knights and ask them to get rid of the rocks!¡± Sr replied enthusiastically. Elody could onlyugh at the two while nodding her head. * * * After dinner, Elody told Caville all about the forest while drinking tea. Caville smiled at Elody. His wife looked so cute whenever she was excited. ¡°There were a lot of fish in the river! I¡¯ll have to tell the servants to go there tomorrow!¡± ¡°To catch fish?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Shall I catch one for you, my wife?¡± ¡°You want to go fishing? Aren¡¯t you busy?¡± The servants were able to have fun with Elody, and Caville didn¡¯t want to be left alone. So Caville nodded, saying he wasn¡¯t busy tomorrow. If Lewis had seen him right now, he would have scolded him for running away from his duties. Caville was motivated to impress Elody by catching her a huge fish. And today¡­ ¡°My wife, shall we go to our bedroom now?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°From today onwards, we promised to sleep together in the same room,¡± Caville said with a chuckle. Seeing her bewildered expression, his wife seemed to have forgotten. ¡°Come.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ uh, alright.¡± Elody got up awkwardly and headed to the second floor with Caville. Marie¡¯s eyes lit up after hearing the sentence ¡®sleeping together in the same room.¡¯ It seemed that she had been nning something. * * * At the moment, Marie was helping Elody take a bath. However, something was strange. ¡°Why the rose petals?¡± Instead of answering, Marie smiled and kept sprinkling more petals over the bathtub. What was she trying to do¡­? It wasn¡¯t just that. Marie dripped a few drops of perfume on her skin as well. ¡°Madame. You may have been educated since you were young by the Count, but you¡¯re stillcking in a lot of areas, so I¡¯ll tell you this one more time.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Marie whispered into Elody¡¯s ear, sending her subtle nces. As Marie continued, Elody¡¯s expression began to redden. ¡°Just don¡¯t worry about it too much, alright? It only hurts the first time,¡± Marie said, gently patting Elody¡¯s arm. ¡°Marie, are you insane?¡± ¡°What?¡± Elody bit her lips, her blush spread from her face to her neck and ears. ¡°Ca-Caville is just a child!¡± ¡°Oh, no. He¡¯s not.¡± ¡°Yes, he is!¡± Elody was stubborn about it. ¡®Caville¡¯s fate is to be with Princess Larissa. Not you!¡¯ Again, a small voice echoed inside her head. ¡°My destiny does not intertwine with his.¡± ¡°What?¡± Marie was surprised by the sudden change in atmosphere. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Elody furrowed her eyebrows when she felt a throb in her head. She heard it again. That voice¡­ ¡°Madame, are you alright?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. Anyway, Caville is still young, so don¡¯t say things like that.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, madame.¡± Marie was confused at Elody¡¯s sudden paleplexion. ¡®What was that?¡¯ She thought. * * * Despite Marie pressuring her to wear a nightgown, Elody tly refused. Thus, she ended up wearing pajamas instead. Even though the pajamas were the same ones she used when they were young, she still felt a bit awkward. They weren¡¯t that exposing¡­ Rather, it was afortable pajama that covered every inch of her body from her neck to her wrists and ankles. Nevertheless, she was still anxious. ¡®This is all because of what Marie said¡­¡¯ Elody ended up ming Marie for her nervousness. After entering the bedroom, Elody found out that Caville was still bathing. Thus, Elody opened the window to cool her red cheeks. Even though years had passed by, the room was still the same as it used to be. Except for the fact that it had one more bed. However, the two beds were almost joined together with only a small gap. ¡®Isn¡¯t this too close?¡¯ Elody was worried about it, but Elody decided not to express her feelings out loud. ¡°¡­¡­¡± While waiting for Caville, Elody recalled her husband¡¯s passionate confession. But then, a weird voice plunged into Elody¡¯s head again. ¡®Caville Cernoir¡¯s fate is to be with Larissa Dayev¡­¡¯ Elody had been hearing weird voices ever since Caville¡¯s confession. ¡®He doesn¡¯t love you¡­¡¯ Click. The voice disappeared the moment Caville opened the bathroom door. As Caville approached, Elody finished her thoughts and looked at him. ¡°Wife.¡± Caville was likewise dressed infortable clothes. He wore soft pajamas instead of his usual attire, and his chest was more clearly revealed than usual. ¡®He¡¯s grown a lot¡­¡¯ ¡°Caville, I¡¯ll use the bed that lies near the window.¡± ¡°Yes, my wife.¡± Caville smiled as he knew why Elody chose the one by the window. She wanted to protect him in case an assassin invaded their room through the window. If they went through the door, they would probably be spotted by the knights, that¡¯s why she thought that the window was more dangerous. But of course, the window waspletely safe. Because Ifrit was guarding it. ¡®How cute.¡¯ Caville was desperately trying to protect her but Elody was acting so cute and lovely. He genuinely wanted to bite her nose. But on the other hand, he was also nervous and anxious. His wife was not an object that he could monopolize to stay by his side forever. As Ifrit said, he should look more like a reliable man that she can trust¡­ If things kept going like this, the possibility of her liking him back was slim. It seemed as though desperate times call for desperate measures. Cavilleid on his bed and scooted near Elody¡¯s bed as close as possible. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Meanwhile, Elody nced at Caville while lying in the middle of her bed. Caville was sleeping sideways facing her. ¡°Caville, are youfortable sleeping while looking at this side?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m morefortable this way.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Elody looked at the ceiling with her nket covering her body all the way to her neck. She could feel Caville¡¯s intense stare at her but pretended not to know. ¡°My wife, good night.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Caville, you sleep well too.¡± Elody closed her eyes and Caville did the same. But she couldn¡¯t sleep. After a long period of tossing and turning and rearranging the pillows, Caville asked Elody if she was having trouble sleeping. ¡°My wife, you can¡¯t sleep?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Shall I sing you a luby or give you a hug?¡± ¡°Oh, no! It¡¯s okay.¡± Elody remembered that those were the exact same words she used to say to Caville whenever he had trouble sleeping. ¡°Caville, would you like me to sing you a luby? Or do you want me to hug you instead?¡± Caville had always wanted to grow up fast, and look at him now. He became a tall, handsome young man, and quite a bold one too. But¡­ ¡°¡­¡­¡± Every time she saw Caville, her heart would start beating like crazy. Elody turned her head and looked at Caville who was staring at her. His eyes¡­ Caville¡¯s gaze towards her was full of affection. It seemed like he really loved her. ¡°Oh, no. Come on. Let¡¯s get some sleep, Caville,¡± Elody said as she turned her back to the other side again. After a while, Elody was barely able to fall asleep. And the night passed. Unlike Marie¡¯s wishes, the two had a peaceful first night. Thus, it was natural that Marie felt resentful about it the next morning. ¡°Does His Grace have some sort of problem with his¡­?¡± Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha ¡°What do you mean, Marie?¡± Anna asked. ¡°Cough, nevermind,¡± Marie said as she shook her head. ¡°Anyway, it looks like madame¡¯s condition has improved¡­¡± Marie recalled the name of Elody¡¯s illness that she heard at a meeting with the other servants a while ago. The Siren¡¯s Tears. ¡°I heard it from Sir Heinz! How the hell does that guy know about madame¡¯s disease?¡± Heinz was the leader of a faction of the knights that used to be mercenaries. Everybody knew that they held some sort of prejudice against the madame. Because of that, most of the servants dismissed Heinz¡¯s words as nothing but a mere lie. They couldn¡¯t trust someone who disliked the madame. And Marie also held the same opinion. ¡®I should talk about this with the lord¡­¡¯ Marie decided to continue watching the situation more for the time being. ¡®Ugh, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have time to sleep again¡­¡¯ Caville thought as he walked up the stairs to his bedroom after having breakfast. Yesterday as well, Caville was forced to stay up all night due to the never-ending amount of paperwork. Thus, he was only able to sleep a little at dawn. Caville sighed as he watched Elody sleeping quietly. Though he was terribly sleep-deprived, he was still grateful to be given a beautiful sight to see every morning when he woke up. He loved seeing his wife¡¯s peaceful expression as she slept and would do anything to keep seeing it again. Even if it meant he had to give up sleeping his entire life. He was so happy he could die. Of course, he was still greedy for more. But he decided that it would be best to appreciate the fact that he didn¡¯t have to sleep separately from his wife anymore. ¡®You used to hug me to sleep whenever winter came¡­¡¯ Caville believed that over time, Elody would be able to love him the same way he loved her. At first, Caville thought that even if his wife couldn¡¯t reciprocate his feelings, he would still be fine with it. As long as she didn¡¯t hate him, he would always be satisfied with what he had. However, he found that he started bing more and more greedy. Caville looked at the window and saw that it was already dawn. Caville, who wasn¡¯t able to sleep at allst night, watched the sun as it slowly rose from the window. Then, he slowly reached out to Elody. He held Elody¡¯s tiny pinky and nced at it for a moment. The feeling of him holding her finger at that time was still vivid. He had only touched her little finger, but Caville was happy enough to be given the chance to touch her again. Elody was surprised to see Heinz visiting her in theb so early in the morning. ¡®Why does he keep visiting me?¡¯ Elody was still worried about his forehead as the scars hadn¡¯t fully healed yet. ¡®Has he not used the medicine yet? It should¡¯ve been healed by now unless¡­ he¡¯s doing this on purpose. But why? To show off to the others?¡¯ ¡°May I help you, Sir Heinz?¡± ¡°I heard that madame needed someone to get rid of the rocks in the forest. So I called my subordinates here to help!¡± ¡°¡­Oh, that¡¯s alright. You don¡¯t really have to¡­. The apprentices or squires would suffice.¡± ¡°No! We¡¯ll do it instead!¡± Elody nced at Dame Sr who stood next to her with a troubled expression. Sr shrugged her shoulder and replied by whispering into Elody¡¯s ear. ¡°Just let them pamper you. They¡¯re really strong.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± However, Elody was ufortable with the mercenary-knights. She remembered them ring at her wherever she went, and their eyes were full of hostility¡­ In addition, they seemed to have a close rtionship with Princess Larissa. However¡­ Today, the knights were¡­ not as hostile to her as she thought they would be. Rather, they seemed to look a bit¡­ dispirited. ¡°Alright. Then, can you start by moving that boulder over there?¡± When Elody spoke reluctantly, Heinz replied by telling her not to worry. Then, he dragged his men to the forest. ¡°Madame, why is Sir Heinz doing that for you?¡± Sr asked, confused. ¡°I do not know¡­¡± She was also curious about it herself. What in the world made him act like this? ¡°How suspicious¡­ He used to despise you, but now he acts as if he¡¯s your number one supporter. I wonder what made him change his mind¡­ You must be wary of him, madame,¡± Dame Sr warned. Elody nodded her head in response. He was definitely suspicious to say the least. The boulders were too heavy to be carried alone, so several knights had to work together to destroy the pieces first. Elody felt bad for the knights since it looked very tiresome. They already hated her, but the fact that they had to do this made her feel even worse about herself. What if they hated her even more after this? Well, it didn¡¯t really matter if they actually did, but she still couldn¡¯t help feel but ufortable at the thought. As Elody watched the knights, she suddenly thought of something. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Madame, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Then, Elody had her servants bring arge bowl and packs of ice from the castle. ¡°I¡¯m going to make a fruit punch.¡± ¡°Oh, fruit punch?¡± ¡°Yes. I think it would be great if we¡¯re all able to drink it together.¡± Elody started making fruit punch with the peaches she had from the greenhouse and the raspberries she harvested from the forest. Anna lifted her thumb up after she tasted it. ¡°Delicious! Shall I give these to the knights?¡± ¡°Yes. Everyone has had a rough time carrying those rocks. This is my way of thanking them for their hard work.¡± Anna thought that it was a waste to give them to the knights, but in the end, she thought that they deserved it since they had been suffering for quite a while. Seeing the maids distribute the fruit punch to the knights made Elody smile. She was happy to see such a lively atmosphere in the mansion. ¡°My wife.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Caville called her from behind. ¡°Caville, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I was supposed to catch you a fish from the river.¡± ¡°Do you really want to? You must be busy with work¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve finished them all.¡± The knights and servants nced at the ducal couple having a friendly conversation. Elody personally guided Caville across the forest. And the person following behind them was none other than Sir Brien. ¡°Sir Vedos, are you alright?¡± Elody asked after seeing his terribleplexion. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Truth to be told, none of them looked fine. Caville had dark eye-bags underneath his eyes while Sir Brien looked as if he had been crying all night. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, you¡¯ll make other people feel bad¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Elody looked at the river. The water seemed to be denser than yesterday. Just the mere sight of it made her feel refreshed. ¡°See you in a minute, my wife,¡± Caville said, kissing the back of her Elody¡¯s hand. Elody was startled and immediately ran back to the forest. ¡°I¡¯m gonna die from excessive cuteness,¡± Caville murmured while staring at Elody¡¯s back, while Brien creased his eyebrows in return. ¡°Well done, everyone.¡± Elody wanted to express her gratitude to the knights who had worked hard. ¡°Thanks to you guys, we were able to finish our work quickly as well. Thank you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank us. It was nothing,¡± Heinz replied, blushing and grinning at the same time. The men who stood behind him nced at each other. They thought it was strange that the duchess had personally thanked them herself. ¡°By the way, madame. The fruit punch you gave to us was really delicious.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d to hear it. Do you want more?¡± ¡°Can we?¡± Elody only said that for courtesy¡¯s sake, but Heinz¡¯s eyes were shining so brightly it was hard to refuse. Thus, Elody nodded her head and instructed Marie. ¡°Bring more peaches from the greenhouse to make the fruit punch.¡± ¡°Yes, madame.¡± Marie nced at Heinz before heading to the greenhouse with her maids. Now it was time to start working. Elody rolled up her sleeves and began harvesting the berries and mushrooms with the maids. ¡®Did the trees grow again?¡¯ The tree where she picked the mushrooms yesterday was now growing with new mushrooms. Just like the peach tree in the greenhouse. ¡°The duchess, she¡¯s so kind.¡± ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s not like the rumors.¡± ¡°She seems to have a good rtionship with the leader¡­.¡± Heinz¡¯s men were sitting under the shade of a tree while enjoying their time off. They chatted while drinking the fruit punch that the maids gave them. It was really refreshing. Drinking the sweet fruit punch while the cool breeze of fresh air swept away their sweat. Ah yes, this was life. The sun was shining, the flowers were blooming, the birds were singing, and the atmosphere was lively. Everything was perfect. They thought that the duchess was a cruel and cold-hearted person. But she gave them fruit-punch and even thanked them in person.p They thought she would ignore them and looked down on them for being former mercenaries, but the duchess had no such expression on her face. Today, they had finally felt like they had actually settled in the estate. That feeling made them very excited. There was only one thing they had always wanted. It was to be recognized and epted. They were those who returned with the young lord who was discriminated against on the battlefield. They had helped him fight in war, so they wanted to be recognized. However, the knights who remained in the manor disregarded their hard work and secretly discriminated against them for being a mercenary. They thought that the duchess would be the same. However, Elody actually acknowledged their hardships and treated them fairly from the very beginning. ¡°This sounds like a nice ce to live.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The knights ended their conversation with a smile on their faces. They thought that it was a good idea to havee here to the duchy with the leader. Elody set aside her harvest and headed for the river, carrying the fruit punch she had left for Caville and Brien. ¡°Madame! I¡¯ll hold it for you. Why are you carrying these things by yourself?¡± Heinz said as he took the tray from her hands. Elody purposely brought it herself to let the maids take a break¡­ Heinz smiled and looked at Elody. ¡°Why don¡¯t you use the medicine I gave you for the wound on your forehead?¡± ¡°This is my proof of loyalty to you, madame,¡± He answered proudly. Did he pick up the wrong medicine somewhere and ate it? ¡®I heard that when a person suddenly changes, it¡¯s likely that they are dying¡­ ¡® ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you should give that loyalty to Caville. He deserves it more than me.¡± Elody again took the tray from Heinz and headed to Caville. But after a few steps, Elody stopped her tracks. ¡°My wife!¡± Caville smiled when seeing his loved one in front of him. The bucket by the river was already full of big fishes. But¡­ ¡®Why is he naked?¡¯ Elody bit her lips as she looked at Caville¡¯s naked torso. It was the second time she saw Caville¡¯s grown-up body. Butst time, she was too concerned about Caville¡¯s wounds, so she felt nothing when she saw him shirtless. But now¡­ Elody, feeling her cheeks burning, turned around and handed the tray over to Heinz. ¡°Madame?¡± She immediately ran away and headed for the forest again. Her cheeks, ears, and neck felt hot, it was as if she was burning from fire. It was the moment when Ifrit¡¯s advice to show his abs finally worked. ¡°My wife!¡± However, Caville only blinked and looked at Elody¡¯s back without knowing what had just happened. ¡°Why is she running away from me¡­?¡± Likewise, Heinz, who did not know a thing about love, was confused by Elody¡¯s bizarre actions. Nheless, he disregarded it as an impulse and approached the duke who stood in the river. ¡°Leader, this fruit punch is made by the madame. It tastes amazing. The vicemander should try it too!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Caville ran out of the water with a gloomy expression. ¡°Gosh, it¡¯s hot.¡± Heinz took out a handkerchief from his bosom and wiped the sweat from his forehead. And at that moment¡­ ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± When Caville¡¯s low voice sounded a bit grumpy, Heinz raised his head with a dumbfounded look on his face. ¡°¡­L-leader?¡± When Heinz saw Caville¡¯s terrifying expression, he got chills all over his body as if a bucket of ice had just fallen on top of his head. Caville parted his mouth and spoke, ¡°Why do you have that handkerchief?¡±
[T/N]: It was at this moment Heinz knew, he f***** up. LOL [ED/N]: Caville is ready to not sleep for the rest of his life for Elody. This much should be expected. XD Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha ¡°¡­ I-I picked it up from the ground.¡± Heinz showed tremendous wits. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, I saw it lying on the ground in the forest near the greenhouse. Is there something wrong¡­?¡± ¡°Give it to me. No, wait. Wash it till it¡¯s squeaky clean, then bring it back to me.¡± ¡°¡­Understood, Your Grace.¡± Heinz gulped. He barely escaped from death. * * * As promised, Caville caught a bucket full of fish. Thanks to that, all of the servants were able to enjoy excellent fish dishes made by the mansion¡¯s chef. In thete afternoon, Elody was trying to make various types of alcohol drinks with her maids. Peaches, ck raspberries, magnolia berries, mulberries, raspberries, and mushrooms were used as ingredients to make the alcohol. She also decided to make jam with the raspberries tomorrow. ¡°Finally!¡± ¡°I¡¯m so excited for this, madame!¡± ¡°Me too!¡± Marie was really excited because she really liked alcohol. ¡°Shall I make the nts grow quickly again with my magic?¡± ¡°Yes! Good luck, madame!¡± Marie eximed. ¡°What do you want to eat the most?¡± ¡°That!¡± What Marie pointed to was arge bottle of ck raspberry. ¡®She sure is a drinker, she knows what kind of wine tastes the best¡­¡¯ Elodyughed inside and took a reagent out of her drawer. It was a reagent used to speed up aging in herbs and to ripen fruits faster. She opened the lid of ck raspberries and added a few drops of reagent. The ck raspberry quickly ripened and gave off a sweet scent. The maids who remained in the greenhouse enjoyed the ck raspberry wine with Elody. ¡°Madame, does this wine have health benefits? If so, what are they?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Elody paused at Anna¡¯s question. The ck raspberry had lots of effects. However, it was well known to reinvigorate¡­ Virility. In Elody¡¯s previous life, the wine was called ¡°Bokbunjajoo¡± which means Korean Raspberry Wine. There was an old saying that said the ck raspberry wine could make one¡¯s manhood very powerful. ¡®It¡¯s insanely embarrassing to say though¡­¡¯ ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Everyone stared at Elody with anticipation. A sweat dripped down from her forehead. ¡°Men, it¡¯s good for men.¡± All the maids giggled as Elody spoke in a shy manner. ¡°For men? Good how?¡± ¡°Uh, well¡­ I-I¡¯m sure you guys know! B-but it¡¯s good for women too!¡± At Elody¡¯s answer, the maidsughed all the more. In the meantime, Marie¡¯s eyes glimmered with hope. * * * The next day, someone knocked on the door of Caville¡¯s office. ¡°Come in.¡± It was Marie who opened the door to Caville¡¯s office. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is there something wrong with my wife?¡± ¡°No. The madame is perfectly fine. However, I have something to give to you, Your Grace.¡± Marieid down a bottle of ck raspberry wine on top of Caville¡¯s desk. It was one of the bottles she got from Elody yesterday. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Your Grace the Duke.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°As your humble servant. I kindly ask you to drink this¡­ No, you must drink this at all costs.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°This is crucial for your future, my lord.¡± Caville could only blink his eyes out of confusion. * * * Meanwhile, the reconstruction of the Temple of Cernoir was barelypleted. After returning to the temple, Priest Amos immediately summoned Theodore. ¡°Sir Theodore, how dare youy your hands on the duke¡¯s wife¡­ What were you thinking?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Priest Amos clicked his tongue. Sir Theodore was famous as a cold ice-block when it came to treating or dealing withdies. Most women in the capital had tried to seduce him, but many failed. Everyone knew that talking to him was like talking to a brick wall. He was¡­ very closed-off and guarded. But¡­ ¡®Why is this apathetic pdin suddenly showing interest in women? And in the duchess at that!¡¯ Priest Amos just couldn¡¯t understand. ¡®Hmm¡­?¡¯ But then again, it wasn¡¯t a bad thing. One of the Temple¡¯s goals was to take away Caville¡¯s spirit. Meanwhile, the duchess was a mage who was being watched by the Temple. She wasn¡¯t from the tower but had outstanding talent in magic¡­ The Temple didn¡¯t want the Duke of Cernoir to get involved with Princess Larissa¡­ However, even if the Duke and the Duchess continued to be together, there was nothing they could gain from it. If so, then it would be better to bring the duchess to side with the Temple. ¡®Well, we had another goal in mind anyway, so it should be easier this way¡­¡¯ Priest Amos had received another order given by none other than the High Priest. Priest Amos nced back at Theodore who stood silently with a blunt expression on his face. He was definitely good-looking. Handsome enough to make women fall in love with only his face. Furthermore, if Sir Theodore also had feelings for the Duchess¡­ ¡°Sir Theodore, have you fallen for her?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Theodore with his eyebrows creased stared at Priest Amos. The corners of Priest Amos¡¯s mouth curled up viciously. The Commander of the Pdins was the perfect chess piece he needed to use. In the distant past, there were five high priests. They sealed the power of the spirit after the death of the legendary archmage, Magnaponithesia. After using all of their divine powers to seal the spirits, all of them died at the same time. The Temple of Thysser carved massive statues on their grounds to pay respects to their lost souls. But why did they seal the archmage¡¯s spirits? Well, it was simple. It was to hide the spirits¡¯ powers and to further enhance their divine power. But that was just an old story. The current high priest was a man called Zion, and he, unsurprisingly, had different views with the old high priests. He thought that rather than sealing the spirit¡¯s powers, it would be better to use them to enhance their divine power. If he knew how to break the spirit¡¯s seal, he would have done so earlier. However, the Duke of Cernoir suddenly summoned a spirit on the battlefield. And what¡¯s even more shocking was the fact that the spirit was ifrit, the Spirit King of Fire! To think that the spirit would appear once again¡­ High Priest Zion had always been visiting the statues of the five high priests every day. Not to pray for them, but to curse at their idiocy. ¡®Those fools¡­¡¯ They should have tried to control the spirits, not seal them away! High Priest Zion truly wanted to covet that power. Furthermore, he knew that spirits can create elemental crystals. This was confidential information that even the emperor didn¡¯t know. If that greedy emperor knew of this, he would go crazy and do everything he could just to take control of the spirit¡¯s power. ¡®But such power should never be taken by someone like him¡­¡¯ High Priest Zion decided to take the power of the spirit for himself. He did not know that Ifrit and Caville were connected to each other and were bound by mana. He simply thought that he had to kill the duke to get the spirit. Thus, Zion sent a top-secret divine magic tool to Priest Amos. The magic tool was made by taking and remodeling other magic tools they had gotten from the war with the Empire of Urta. ¡®Those barbarians have finally proven to be useful.¡¯ Zion immediately used it to create a more powerful magic tool. Then, he experimented the efficacy of the tool on a junior priest. ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± The junior priest screamed loudly in pain before quickly bing a lifeless corpse. High Priest Zion showed no guilt whatsoever. Instead, he smiled at the fact that his magic tool had worked perfectly on hisb rat. ¡°Magnificent! Hahaha!¡± Thus, a powerful magic tool was born. One that was able to suck the life and magic out of the most powerful mages and priests. In order to elevate the name of the gods throughout the continent, this was something that High Priest Zion had to do. He recalled the order he had given to Priest Amos. ¡°Be sure to take the spirit¡¯s power from the duke, and absorb the duchess¡¯s magical power into this magic tool. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes, High Priest.¡± Caville Cernoir wasn¡¯t the only one he needed to use the magic tool on. Elody Mcire was also their purpose. * * * The next day. Elody cooked and ate pine mushrooms with Anna and Sr. ¡°How¡¯s the taste, Anna?¡± ¡°Ha¡­. it¡¯s insanely good, madame!¡± ¡°What about you, Dame Sr?¡± ¡°It¡¯s delicious¡­!¡± The juiciness of the well-cooked pine mushrooms was truly splendid. Anna and Sr couldn¡¯t stop telling her how much they liked the taste. After eating, Elody worked on her research again. From today onwards, she would be busy with work. She had to make various medicines from the mushrooms and fruits she collected. Elody had just finished making a medication to decrease blood pressure and even made a strawberry vored cold medicine for young children. She had also made several more magic tools but most of them still had to be massed-produced. Next to her was Anna and Sr who were making jam from raspberries. ¡°Are you selling this too, madame?¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s no harm in selling it.¡± Elody intended on raking in a lot of money from all over the continent. After Elody was done doing research, she headed to the greenhouse. She was there to see the growth of the fruit seeds she modified using elemental crystals. But someone had alreadye before her. ¡°Ifrit, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°You said that something better than peaches was growing here. But why aren¡¯t they growing?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Because of the mushrooms, she was distracted and didn¡¯t have time to care for the seeds. Elody reached out her hand and sted more energy into the ce where she had nted the seed. Ifrit watched silently. ¡°It seems that the growth is a little slow¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Ifrit was utterly disappointed. However, he looked cute, so Elody started stroking him again. But then. ¡°Huh?¡± Tiny sprouts began to grow through the soil. It was growing so fast that Elody could not believe her eyes. ¡°What the?!¡± Ifrit was startled and stepped back. The shoots began to take shape. And before long, the fruit she had been waiting for finally appeared before her. Elody blinked as she watched the red strawberry. It was huge. The strawberry was as big as her palm. And then, Ifrit quickly ran to the field and began to bite the strawberry. ¡°Delicious!¡± It tasted different from peaches. Ifrit began to gobble down the strawberries like a starved dog. The purpose of making this seed in the first ce was to develop it as a special product of the duchy. But looking at Ifrit¡­ it seemed that she might have to nt more of these soon. ¡®I¡¯ll nt more.¡¯ Elody then experimented on nting only the ordinary strawberry seeds that weren¡¯t enhanced with elemental crystals. Likewise, arge strawberry nt grew. To Elody¡¯s taste buds, it tasted the same. But Ifrit¡¯s reaction waspletely different from hers. ¡°This one¡¯s mine!¡± Ifrit was madly obsessed with the strawberries that were enhanced with elemental crystals. Fortunately with this, Elody knew that it was unlikely that ifrit would seek for more strawberries by scouring the whole area. Elody began to mass produce the regr strawberry seeds. If she distributed it to the younger people and promoted it as a specialty of the duchy, the younger people would also be able to earn a lot of money from it. In order to make the duchy rich, the number of the citizens had to increase. ¡®That¡¯s why I¡¯ll need to reinforce more soldiers and knights.¡¯ Ever since that day, Elody had been busier than ever. Elody¡¯s goal was to make as many pills as possible before Sirka returned. Meanwhile, Caville was worried about Elody, who workedte every day. As if fainting, he fell on the bed and rolled around while watching Elody sleep. In the meantime, he couldn¡¯t sleep because of the ck raspberry he drank every day. He didn¡¯t know why, but he felt energized whenever he drank it. So he would have trouble falling asleep. But one day, when everything seemed to be going smoothly¡­ A big problem arose. ¡°The strawberries! All of my strawberries are gone!¡± : Hello everyone. So I have made a mistake. All this time I wrote Amos as a high priest when in fact he was a normal priest (I thought ?? was high priest and turns out I was wrong, ??? is high priest). So yeah, I¡¯m sorry for the mistrantion, I really should¡¯ve looked it up on google before writing it down. Andstly, I am unfortunately toozy to re-edit the s (cause there¡¯s a lot ??). So I hope you guys can forgive me this time. Thank you. Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha ¡°All the strawberries are gone!¡± Ifrit shouted frantically. ¡°What?¡± Elody immediately ran to the greenhouse. As Ifrit said, all the elemental strawberries that had been nted in the greenhouse had disappeared. On the other hand, the ordinary strawberries remained the same. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Elody was dumbfounded at the sight. Of course, strawberries should grow back in a few hours, but¡­. Could it be that the strawberries weren¡¯t able to? Or did someone else steal them? ¡°Was the door to the greenhouse open?¡± ¡°Yes! It was open! Why didn¡¯t you lock the door? You have no fear, do you?¡± Ifrit yelled at Elody, ming her. Elody looked down and stared at the other crops to see if they were all right. Fortunately, the only thing that had disappeared was the elemental strawberries. ¡°Ifrit, are you sure you didn¡¯t eat all of them?¡± ¡°No! I saved some for breakfast this morning!¡± ¡°What aboutst night? You weren¡¯t sleeping here, were you?¡± ¡°¡­W-why you!¡± Ifrit quivered indignantly. Ifrit was actually guarding the windows of their rooms because of Caville¡¯s ordersst night. But Caville had told him to keep it a secret, so he couldn¡¯t say a word. ¡°I don¡¯t know! It wasn¡¯t me! You have to find them! My precious strawberries!¡± He fussed as heid on his back. He looked like a little puppy that was surprised by the first snow. After barely calming Ifrit, Elody returned to theb. She honestly thought Ifrit had eaten it all. Unlike peaches, the elemental strawberry could not grow until at least 12 hours after all the berries had been harvested. Elody dismissed the problem, thinking it was just Ifrit¡¯s silly mistake. But the next day, the strawberries had disappeared again. And the next day again. Ifrit, who had promised to regrly provide the Elemental Crystals, eventually dered a strike. * * * Caville came to Elody¡¯sb after work. ¡°A strawberry thief?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Caville looked serious. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s one of the knights.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± At Caville¡¯s words, Elody stared at him. ¡°Caville, would you really suspect your own knights?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t trust anyone here but you.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who taught me not to easily trust others and that I should doubt all of their intentions.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡¯Why is he so good at talking?¡¯ Elody shut her mouth because it was all true. ¡°So, wife, how are you going to catch the thief? Would you like me to do it for you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I made a new magical device.¡± ¡°What does it do?¡± After Ifrit dered a strike, Elody noticed that it was not his own doing. Arriving at that conclusion, she started making tools to catch the criminal. It was a device that fired a dart tipped with a hypodermic needle and filled with a dose of tranquilizer solution that was a sedative. The device would automatically shoot whenever it detected any activity at the plot where the elemental strawberries were nted. In short, it was a tranquilizer gun. However, there was a problem. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that the anesthetic is too strong¡­¡± She needed to test it on someone¡­ But she couldn¡¯t think of anyone deserving to be ab rat. ¡°Shall I call Baron Vendors and Baron Bernard, wife?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯ll take a few days for the two toe. Furthermore, they are too old. If something goes wrong and they die¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯d be great?¡ªcough!¡± ¡®What did he say?¡¯ Elody narrowed her eyes at Caville. Caville blinked innocently. ¡°Shall I do it?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m strong, wife. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°No way.¡± ¡®How could I shoot a gun directly at Caville?¡¯ Ifrit, who had been silent the whole time, shouted in frustration, ¡°What do you mean no?! Aren¡¯t you going to catch him?! Hurry up and shoot!¡± Ifrit had been very sensitive for the past few days. ¡°Give me that!¡± ¡°Wait a minute¡­!¡± It happened before Elody could stop him. Ifrit quickly took the tranquilizer gun and ran with his fluffy feet. Then, he pointed the gun at Caville. And bam¡ª! The dart flew off straight to Carville¡¯s shoulder. But, it didn¡¯t get stuck and bounced off instead. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Elody blinked and looked at Caville. Caville muttered, ¡°Huh. It seems that the needle is too weak.¡± ¡®What? Is his skin made of stone or something?!¡¯ Elody wanted to ask but held back. Indeed, Caville was one of the best swordmasters on the continent. Having a much higher physical ability than the average person¡­ In the first ce, Caville could not be the subject of her experiment. In addition, he said he had more magic power after returning to thend, and he had been training every day. Ifrit fired a few more shots at Caville, each time asking if something was wrong with the gun. Elody¡¯s brows crumbled and she took the tranquilizer gun from Ifrit. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the medicine myself.¡± At Elody¡¯s words, Caville answered yes, kindly. On the other hand, Ifritined. ¡°What a monster¡­¡± That night, Elody set up a new tranquilizer gun and returned to the mansion. * * * The next morning, Elody got up early and headed for the greenhouse. But the criminal was not caught. ¡°Did he run away?¡± The elemental strawberries and tranquilizer device remained the same. ¡®Ifrit must be happy.¡¯ Elody deployed the tranquilizer gun as soon as she came so that Ifrit could eat them. After checking out the other crops, Elody headed to theb in the next room. And right after Elody disappeared. The faint shadows began to move slowly. After the shadows had eaten all the strawberries, it approached Elody with a dismal walk. * * * Meanwhile, meetings were still going on in the capital city of Hesium. It was decided that the territory of Urta on the East Continent would be shared little by little. However, the Marquis took thergest territory. Despite the conclusion, the reason why the meeting still continued was because of the Duke of Cernois. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not the time for us to do this. But I feel uneasy about the Duke of Cernois. He acts as if he doesn¡¯t want ownership of a certain territory, but there¡¯s no guarantee that he¡¯ll continue to act this way,¡± The Duke of Ibelin, who upied the northern part of the continent, imed. ¡°That¡¯s right. We don¡¯t know when he¡¯ll im ownership. I¡¯m not sure about the certificate alone. Now that he has the power of the Spirit King, he may even try to get ahold of the throne,¡± Duke Rehos of the East said. The emperor showed signs of difort. In the emperor¡¯s mind, if someone had the power of the spirits, that person would have sought the emperor¡¯s seat. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. In the first ce, the current Duchy of Cernois is the richest territory on the entire continent!¡± ¡°Yes. There¡¯s also the Forest of Death, but it¡¯s not far from the County of Borque.¡± Although the agreement on the territory of Urta was over, they were greedy for something bigger. It was the power of the duke¡¯s spirit. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask the tower for help, Your Majesty?¡± The emperor, who had been silent all along, snorted and said, ¡°Have you ever seen them meddle in political affairs?¡± ¡°But¡­ isn¡¯t this rted to spirits?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Emperor Albrecht had a sour look on his face. In the first ce, there was no need to look upon the tower. For they were not willing to intervene in matters from the outside. ¡°We must join forces to ask the Duke of Cernois to return the spirit.¡± ¡°I think we need to make a treaty and take precautions.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Emperor Albrecht remained silent at the nobles¡¯ ims. In the first ce, the territory of Cernois was not granted by the emperor, but by the first duke himself. It was said that all of the former Cernois were loyal to the imperial government, but that could not be guaranteed for the current Cernois. As the Duke of Ibelin said, he may have pretended to be uninterested in power till now, but they don¡¯t know when he would turn his back on the empire. ¡®That¡¯s why I sent Princess Larissa to him¡­¡¯ The marriage of Princess Larissa and the Duke of Cernois meant that he would promise loyalty to the empire. But Princess Larissa was kicked out¡­ ¡®Useless woman¡­¡¯ Emperor Albrecht wanted the Duke of Cernois under his wings before the Temple by any means possible. But if he failed¡­ He would have no choice but to start a war and take over his territory. But before that, he needed a way to take away the power of the duke¡¯s spirit. ¡®The temple must also be searching for ways to do that¡­.¡¯ After the meeting, Emperor Albrecht ordered three of his spies that infiltrated the Temple to contact him. And Princess Larissa, who returned to the pce, was in a significantly different position. ¡°How dare you let the princess stay in a room like this?¡± Carolina murmured in a voice filled with indignation. Of course, this room was as fancy as it was then, but it was much duller than the room she had in the old Crystal Pce. When the rumor spread that Princess Larissa had been driven out of the Duchy of Cernois, the servants of the pce began to ignore her. It was the same for Carolina, she was also ignored. The empress, the crown prince, and even the princess began ignoring her. ¡®She used to be so kind to me¡­ She treated me as if she had found her lost family again. I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s treating me like this now.¡¯ Carolina looked at Princess Larissa with a stuffy expression. Princess Larissa still loved the Duke of Cernois. Even though she knew she had to give up, her feelings had relentlessly grown to be bigger than before. Thus, as the days passed by¡­ the princess found herself to be much deeper in love than she was ever before. * * * ¡°My strawberries!!!¡± A little while ago, Ifrit could be heard screaming hysterically inside the greenhouse. Then, he ran to Elody in theb. ¡°Strawberry?¡± Elody, who was in the middle of studying, stared at Ifrit in bewilderment. ¡°Not today too! Did you even catch the criminal?!¡± Ifrit cried. ¡°But I¡¯m sure the strawberries were here before¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean they were here? There weren¡¯t any! They¡¯re gone like the wind!¡± Elody muttered, ¡°That¡¯s impossible¡­,¡± and headed for the greenhouse. ¡°What in the world¡­?¡± Who could have stolen the strawberries in such a short period of time? Elody sighed in despair. Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Trantor: Latte Editor: Sasha ¡°Ifrit, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Ifrit stared at Elody without saying a word. It was definitely the scent of a spirit. ¡®But, how is that possible?¡¯ Ifrit pondered. In the distant past¡­ There lived four spirits kings, who were described as the most powerful spirits of all¡ªwater, fire, wind, and earth. One day, those spirits were sealed by five high priests from the Temple of Thysser. Fortunately, Ifrit didn¡¯t get sealed along with the others. However, after knowing what had happened to his fellow friends, his days were filled with sorrow and pain. The five priests tried to hunt the remaining spirit king, but Ifrit was nowhere to be found. Of course, there was a reason as to why the priests could not find him. Ifrit, the Spirit King of Fire, was born in the fire of an active volcano. And that volcano had now turned into the Forest of Death. The Forest of Death was a very dangerous ce, hence the name. The only ones who would dare to go there were maniacs who were seeking death. Thus, for many years, Ifrit had been sleeping underneath the deep grounds of the forest. He first came to the world after the first Duke of Cernoir found him. Unlike Caville, the first duke did not reveal his powers. Nheless, Ifrit fell into a deep slumber again after the first Duke of Cernoir died. The artifact, a relic created by the legendary archmage, was his tomb and home. It carried ancient magic that could contain spirits. Though as time passed, Ifrit¡¯s existence was slowly disappearing from the artifact¡­ Fortunately, Elody came and brought him back to life once again. And ever since he came out to the world, Ifrit has never felt the presence of another spirit. After the spirit kings were sealed, all of the other spirits, including the low-rank ones, became extinct. ¡®But¡­ Why am I smelling the presence of other spirits now? And it¡¯sing from¡­¡± His benefactor. ¡®Impossible! Did she give birth to a spirit?¡¯ Spirits were born out of powerful magic thatid in nature, and each of their powers was different depending on where they were born. Ifrit looked around the greenhouse. Elody had been taking care of this greenhouse for years. A ce where Elody, a mage born with wind and earth attributes, nted life. The greenhouse was definitely filled with strong and pure mana. That¡¯s why ifrit also liked this space. ¡®But why now¡­? Is it because of the Elemental Crystals?¡¯ After thinking about it for a while, things began to make sense. With thebination of her strong magic and elemental crystals, the greenhouse would have sufficient conditions to be a spirit¡¯s habitat. ¡°Ifrit, what¡¯s wrong? Are you alright?¡± Elody crouched down, looking at Ifrit anxiously. Suddenly¡­ A small shadow could be seen emerging from Elody¡¯s back. ¡°You rascals!!!¡± ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± * * * Caville smiled all day long. Forst night was a miracle. ¡°Caville, you have to cover yourself with a nket. Otherwise, you¡¯ll catch a cold.¡± ¡°Yes, wife.¡± It felt great to see his wife nagging at him for the tiniest things again. This reminded him of the old days¡­ ¡®Yes, this is life¡­¡¯ At Elody¡¯s words, Caville covered himself with a nket. And when he woke up for a while in the middle of the night. He saw his wife, sleeping with her nkets kicked to the floor. ¡®How cute¡­¡¯ It was ironic since she was the one who got mad at him for not using the nkets. Caville held back hisughter. Then, all of a sudden¡­ Elody rolled over and came into his arms! Well¡­ not really. There was a gap between their beds. However, the gap was very narrow so he could get a hold of her arms. Thus, Caville, being the sly beast that he is, pulled his wife closer and captured her within his hold. ¡®My wife hugged me first, so she can¡¯t me me,¡¯ Caville thought as he covered her with his nket. Hence, the two ended up hugging each other in their sleep. And then, dawn came¡­ Caville got out of bed cautiously and moved himself toy on Elody¡¯s bed. If his wife ever found out that they were sleeping together, she would go crazy. That was why he wanted to make it seem as if he had been sleeping on her bed the whole night. And a few hourster, Elody woke up. She was surprised to find herself on the wrong bed. Elody¡¯s blush seared through her cheeks, and as Caville began to exin what had happened. She became even more embarrassed. ¡°I woke up at dawn and found that my wife was sleeping on my bed. So I decided to take yours,¡± he said with the most innocent expression. Elody, bbergasted by her own actions, quickly apologized to him. Caville onlyughed, saying that it was okay. But unbeknown to her knowledge, he was overjoyed. He could only wish that she would do it every so often so that he could snuggle with her every night. Nheless, he still had to wait for the day when his wife would reciprocate his feelings¡­ After Caville finished his work for the morning, he headed to theb to have tea with his wife. But theb was empty. ¡®Is she in the greenhouse?¡¯ As he walked to the greenhouse and opened the door¡­ He saw the most outrageous scene. Caville¡¯s nose wrinkled in disgust. Weird creatures were clinging to his wife! And his wife¡­ ¡®What in the world¡­?!¡¯ Was stroking them with a face full of love! * * * A while ago¡­ Ifrit yelled, ¡°You rascals!!!¡± ¡°Ifrit! Did you just shout at me?¡± Elody asked in anger. Before Ifrit could exin, the creatures jumped from behind Elody¡¯s back. Elody stared at them in surprise. What appeared before her eyes were tiny baby animals. ¡°Oh my¡­!¡± ¡°Chirp chirp¨C!¡± One was a blue baby bird. An adorable baby bird. The hatchling flew to Elody and rested on her shoulder. Suddenly¡­ ¡°Meow¡­¡± A kitten with ck fur and yellow eyes jumped into Elody¡¯s arms. ¡°Rowr¨C!¡± Andst but not least, a cub with fur as white as snow crawled into herp. Everyone was stuck to Elody like glue, meanwhile, they were staring at Ifrit with frightened expressions. Elody asked, ¡°Ifrit¡­ are these your friends?¡± ¡°They¡¯re not my friends!¡± Ifrit screamed. Then, he sighed and began to exin. After listening to Ifrit¡¯s story. Elody learned that the priests in the past had sealed the spirits to increase the value of divine power. She also learned that these low-rank spirits were born out of her own magic. ¡°They are low-rank spirits, so they can¡¯t understand me if I speak to them as I do to you?¡± ¡°Yes, they¡¯re very stupid.¡± ¡°Chirp chirp!¡± (no!) The baby bird protested. For some reason, Elody could understand what they were talking about. ¡°Huh, they¡¯reining?¡± ¡°¡­You can understand them?¡± He nced back at Elody as she nodded her head. ¡°Well, it¡¯s probably because you speak the ancientnguage. The meaning can be conveyed to the mage who speaks the ancientnguages.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Elody stroked the baby pr bear. Its white fur was so soft. ¡°The strength of a spirit is different depending on where it was born. Even if it was a low-rank spirit, it might have strong powers.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, but no one can keep up with me! I am the most powerful spirit king there is! The almighty Ifrit! Although, I am tied up to your pesky husband right now¡­¡± Ifrit, who was pretending to be proud, quickly became grim. After he signed a contract with the first Duke of Cernoir, Ifrit was allowed to use his power only with the contractor¡¯s mana. He said that unlike Caville, the first Duke of Cernoir did not have such powerful magic. ¡°Then what type of spirits are they?¡± ¡°You guys, quickly gather in front of me.¡± When Ifrit spoke sternly, the baby animals swiftly moved. In Elody¡¯s eyes, ifrit was also nothing more than a mere puppy, it was funny to see him act like a big brother. ¡°This guy here has wind attributes.¡± ¡°Chirp!¡± The baby bird nodded its head. ¡°You¡¯re an earth spirit.¡± ¡°Rowr¡­¡± (Yes.) Suddenly, the cub reached his hand out. ¡®Does he want to give me something?¡¯ She thought as she stretched out her palm. ¡°Ung!¡± (Take it!) It was dirt that fell into Elody¡¯s hand. Elody, who wanted an elemental crystal, was disappointed but not surprised. She chuckled at the cub¡¯s bizarre actions. The other spirits, including Ifrit, also giggled at the scene. ¡°You¡¯re a yful one, aren¡¯t you?¡± Elody said as she pouted her lip, trying to seem bitter. ¡°Okay, back to work,¡± Ifrit interrupted, ¡°This little guy here is a lightning spirit.¡± ¡°Meow¨C!¡± (Lightning!) The kitten raised his paws and stirred it. Then, a small spark of lightning burst out of it. ¡°Now that the culprit is revealed. Give me back my strawberries, you rascals!¡± ¡°Meow! Meow-meow!¡± (I already ate it.) ¡°Chirp-chirp, chirp!¡± (I¡¯m still hungry!) ¡°Rowr.¡± (I need more.) Because they were newborn baby spirits, they get hungry easily. Elody quickly headed to theb to bring more of the elemental strawberry seeds. Then, she sowed her extra seeds into the soil where she nted the rest of the elemental strawberries. Before, she didn¡¯t nt a lot of the elemental strawberries because they taste the same as the regr strawberries. Ifrit was the only one eating them. But now that circumstances have changed¡­ Likest time, Elody nted her seeds and infused her mana into the ground. As soon as the strawberry was produced, the baby animals rushed in like crazy. Ifrit was tired, so he ate the strawberries in a rxed manner. Though, that resulted in him getting the smallest portion out of all the others¡­ Furthermore, after discovering the elemental strawberries, ifrit no longer yearned for the peaches. ¡°Make more strawberries!¡± ¡°Did everyone eat all of it already?¡± Ifrit¡¯s expression was sad. It seemed that all of them were stolen by the baby spirits. Elody hesitated, then inflicted mana into the elemental strawberries again. But the strawberries did not grow, only the stalks were left¡­ ¡°They aren¡¯t appearing¡­?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ifrit¡¯s expression was so pitiful, so Elody tried a few more times but to no avail. On the other hand, the baby spirits were full as their faces were filled with satisfaction. ¡°Chirp-chirp!¡± (I like you.) ¡°Roar!¡± (A person who gives something delicious.) ¡°Meow-meow!¡± (Let¡¯s stick to this person!) The baby spirits clung to Elody. ¡°Ifrit, I¡¯ll find another way, I promise. Don¡¯t be too sad, alright?¡± Elody said as she stroked the baby bird¡¯s belly with her fingers. But before Ifrit could answer¡­ ¡°Wife!¡± Caville ran through theb door. ¡°What is this¡­¡± Caville creased his eyebrows when he saw the baby spirits. He was hoping to have afternoon tea with his wife alone. But now, thepany had been increased by three! ¡°Caville, I have finally found the strawberry thief! It¡¯s these baby spirits!¡± ¡°¡­Yes, that¡¯s great,¡± Caville said in a monotonous tone as he sat next to Elody. ¡°Rowr¡­? Roar¡­ Roarrr!¡± The baby bear seemed to have felt something different about Caville as it immediately ran to him. It could sense powerful mana from him. The spirits instinctively approached Caville and rubbed their bodies on him. ¡°¡­¡­¡± But Caville paid no attention to them. His gaze was fixed on Elody with a sullen look. Ifrit was also sulking. Elody felt bad for Ifrit. She got a bunch of elemental crystals from him¡­ but could give nothing to him in return. Even if the other spirits were babies¡­ seeing Ifrit so sad broke her heart. ¡°Now, then. Since you guys have eaten so much. Shouldn¡¯t you pay for the meal?¡± Elody said to the baby spirits. Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Trantor: Latte Ifrit was delighted. He stared at Elody with anticipation. ¡°Meow?¡± (What?) ¡°Can you guys make this?¡± Elody asked while showing them a piece of Elemental Crystal. ¡°Roar.¡± (We can¡¯t do anything like that) ¡°Then, do you have any other abilities?¡± ¡°Ha! They can¡¯t even make elemental crystals! What could they possibly do?¡± Ifrit snorted. ¡°Chirp! Chirp!¡± (Just watch! Let¡¯s join forces!) The baby bird said to the pr bear as it nodded in response. They proceeded to sit on Caville and Elody¡¯sp. Then, as the baby bird chirped¡­ A gleam of light surrounded Elody¡¯s body! It was so bright that the light obscured her vision, and before she knew it¡­ everything went dark! Fortunately, the light immediately shed again and Elody regained her vision. But as she opened her eyes, the sight she saw was something remarkable. ¡°My wife!¡± Scared she would disappear from his sight, Caville rushed to hug his dear wife. ¡°This is¡­ unbelievable,¡± Elody muttered in surprise. Elody and Caville were in the greenhouse. But somehow, they got teleported into their chambers! ¡°Chirp!¡± (It was a sess!) ¡°Roar!¡± (Yeah!) The baby bird and the pr bear were proud. Suddenly, their sights shed again. ¡°Wait! You guys!¡± They came back to the greenhouse again. Ifrit screamed in surprise. ¡°Wait, what?! Did you just use teleportation magic?! You can do what high wind spirits and earth spirits do?!¡± ¡°Chirp-chirp, chirp!¡± (We joined forces!) ¡°Rowr! Roar!¡± (Yeah! We are strong!) ¡°My wife, are you alright?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Caville examined Elody¡¯splexion. Elody¡¯s eyes were stiff, she wasn¡¯t able toprehend what had just happened. ¡°Oh, dear lord. The soil must be too good. I can¡¯t believe that a low-ranking spirit has such a strong ability,¡± Ifrit muttered in shock. ¡°¡­But if the soil is that fertile, then why were only the low-ranking spirits born? Why not the high-ranking ones?¡± Elody asked. ¡°Hmm¡­ I think¡­ in order for more spirits to be born, the seals of the spirit kings should be released first.¡± Meanwhile, Caville was struggling with the baby animals. They stuck to him like glue and he was beginning to feel ufortable. ¡°Can¡¯t you guys go somewhere else?¡± ¡°Chirp!¡± (No.) Elody¡¯s expression brightened. Even if they weren¡¯t high-ranking spirits. Having such an incredible skill is already a blessing. ¡®Then, the kitten¡­¡¯ ¡°What are your abilities, little one?¡± Elody asked. ¡°Meow!¡± The kitten raised its leg and suddenly¡­ A small bolt of lightning burst out of its paws! ¡°¡­Can you make it stronger?¡± ¡°Meow! Meow-meow? Meow!¡± (Of course I can! Shall I try? But all of you will die!) He said he could do it, but thatst sentence was concerning¡­ Then Elody began to think. If lightning were to strike in the greenhouse, her crops would turn to ashes! Thus, to avoid the worst possible oue. Elody shook her hand, saying that it was alright. But then she thought of a good idea. Elody nned to use the power of the lightning spirit forter. ¡°Well, I guess I have no choice but to grow a lot of strawberries now.¡± In order to borrow the power of baby spirits, it was necessary to feed them food. ¡°¡­Tsk.¡± Ifritid down with a dissatisfied expression. Elody looked at the spirits that clung to Caville. ¡°Caville, it seems that the spirits are very fond of you,¡± Elody giggled. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°Why? They¡¯re very cute.¡± Caville pouted. In his eyes, his wife was much cuter. Elody turned to Ifrit. ¡°Ifrit, I¡¯ll give you a special mission. Teach these kids to speak.¡± ¡°What? No!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you more strawberries than the others.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Elody smiled at Ifrit¡¯s answer. He was really easy to bribe. ¡°That¡¯s right, Caville. I still had something to show you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Elody stood up to show what she had made. Caville left the baby spirits to Ifrit, and he proceeded to follow his wife. Elody handed him a blue jewel thatid on her desk. ¡°Look at this.¡± ¡°¡­Is it a gem?¡± Caville looked closely at the tiny jewel that Elody held. Elody worked really hard to make it. Caville¡¯s ability to handle the duchy¡¯s affairs allowed Elody to focus solely on her research. She knew that he had been struggling with work, so she wanted Caville to be the first to receive it. But there was another reason. ¡°This is what I¡¯ve been working on every day while making magic pills. You¡¯re the first to receive it.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± Elody smiled. ¡°Our revenge for the Temple.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°The temple gave us amunication tool as a gift of apology. Remember?¡± ¡°Yes. Wait¡­ no way, is this?¡± Seeing his response, Elodyughed and nodded her head. What Elody made was a magic stone formunication. She made it by copying themunication tool¡¯s magic form and modified it into a more efficient code. After she crushed the elemental crystal into tiny pieces, she synthesized the particles and ordinary gemstones. ¡°Are you nning tomercialize this, my wife?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡®As expected, he understands right away.¡¯ Elody smiled. Communication tools were known to have only been used by high priests and the imperial family. ¡®But what they provided to the emperor was probably less functional, and maybe even wiretapped.¡¯ Fortunately, the magic tools she received as a gift weren¡¯t bugged. The Temple used this magic tool to monopolize thework, a system that delivers all mail and newsletters to the entire continent. The newsletter was issued by the Temple to inform the political situation of the capital and the news of the border. However, they even went so far as to steal Elody¡¯s letters and supplies, and they did so in pretext of managing the security of the battlefield! ¡®What nonsense. I will never forgive them!¡¯ Elody would never forget that the temple had stolen her letters for seven long years. She vowed to get her vengeance. However, she didn¡¯t want a typical revenge. Thanks to the elemental crystals given by Ifrit, the time of her revenge was elerated. Elody thoroughly synthesized themunication manastone to prevent the Temple from using divine power to disassemble the tool. ¡®No one will ever be able to learn the secret of mymunication manastone.''¡± And Elody was nning tomercialize this at a very high price. Starting from the nobles of the capital, to the imperial family. This would no doubt weaken the Temple¡¯s power. ¡®They have been pretending to be the only ones who can makemunication tools. But with this, I can change everything.¡¯ ¡°This will be a good revenge,¡± Caville smirked. ¡°Isn¡¯t it? Ah! One more thing, I¡¯m trying to find a craftsman. If we process this with pretty ornaments, we¡¯ll be able to sell it at a more expensive price.¡± The magic tools of the Temple had the shape of a rectangle and the size of a palm. It was ufortable to carry and unpleasant to look at. But what if there were attractive-lookingmunication tools? The nobles of the capital would rush to buy it without a second thought. ¡°You want to process it into a ring, a bracelet, or a ne?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°That sounds like a great idea!¡± Caville tucked Elody¡¯s hair behind her ears. Then, he put the blue gemstone on Elody¡¯s earlobe. ¡°It would look beautiful as earrings.¡± For a moment, Elody was embarrassed by his sudden touch, and Caville¡¯s finger felt hot. No, in truth, her ears were the one that felt hot. Thump-thump-thump. Her heart was racing. Elody averted her gaze to avoid Caville¡¯s stare. She strangely found it difficult to make eye contact with him. ¡°Shall I wear earrings too?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Raising her head, Caville was smiling with the gemstone on his own ear. Seeing his exceptionally pretty smile, Elody felt her throat burning. Elody nodded her head awkwardly. Caville with piercings¡­ Just by imagining it, she could already know that he would look good in them. ¡°But I think it¡¯s better to get rings, right? Because we are a married couple.¡± Caville put the jewelry down and intertwined his fingers to hers. Elody looked down to her own hand. Caville then kissed her ring finger. His lips felt soft and ticklish. ¡°¡­D-do as you please.¡± Elody pulled out her hands in embarrassment. Her cheeks were as red as roses. Cavilleughed. Sometimes he wondered if she was actually seducing him on purpose. * * * The next day, Elody asked Norman to send someone to the merchant guild, Rhondia. They were going to introduce her to an outstanding craftsman. Then, she locked herself in theb. She was researching a way to create an infinite amount of elemental strawberries. ¡®What¡¯s the difference?¡¯ The spirits really ate the strawberries constantly. So she couldn¡¯t afford to make more without infinite refills. Elody observed the peach tree that could be generated infinitely. She then infused the mana there into the strawberry seeds. She also included a small amount of elemental crystals and some reagents she used for the rejuvenating ointment. As a result of the experiment, the infinite regeneration failed. Fortunately, Elody was able to achieve results after her seventh try. It was not infinite regeneration, but the elemental strawberries could grow back once every 5 minutes. ¡®It¡¯s not what I wanted. But it¡¯s not bad.¡¯ Elody believed that the spirits would be able to be patient for 5 minutes. Though on the contrary, the spirits ate all of the strawberries in one minute. ¡°Chirp!¡± (Oh no!) ¡°Meow¡­!¡± (I¡¯m hungry.) ¡°Grr¡­¡± (Give me more.) Elody let out a deep sigh. ¡°Why do they eat so fast¡­¡± ¡°They eat a lot. Especially that pr bear over there. He¡¯s seriously not a joke,¡± Ifrit said, ncing at the baby pr bear. ¡°That guy took all of my strawberries¡­¡± Elody stroked Ifrit¡¯s head, telling him to stay strong. Sadly, Ifrit wasn¡¯t the only one who struggled to teach the spirits. ¡°Those guys¡­ If they want to learn how to talk, they¡¯ll have to grow a bit more. Though, if they eat like this, they¡¯ll be able to grow up quickly.¡± ¡°Then will their appearance change?¡± ¡°Only if they can! From what I know, only the almighty spirit king Ifrit can change forms! Those little guys have to live with that insignificant form all their lives.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your real form?¡± Ifrit snorted at Elody¡¯s question. ¡°Then shall I show it to you?¡± ¡°Yes, please.¡± Ifrit began to brag, saying that Elody might fall in love with him when she sees his huge wings. But then. An uninvited guest appeared. ¡°Madame! A guest is here,¡± Anna reported. ¡°A guest?¡± Elody said as she raised from her seat. ¡°The Commander of the Pdins came from the Temple. He requested to meet you, madame.¡± [T/N] Hello everyone. As you see, I haven¡¯t posted in a long time. I have been very busy and have honestly lost interest in this novel. For now, I do not know what I will do with the novel (Maybe another trantor will pick it up or maybe we¡¯ll drop it). But as of now, I will be focusing on another novel. My sincerest apologies and thank you for reading. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!