Chapter 23
Most of the empire's territory was flat. The mountains were small and the roads were well paved, so it was easy for people and carts to travel. This easy transportation meant that villages along paved roads were much larger. This allowed the traveling party to rest at the inn almost every night.
I watched Daedric rent an entire inn with a bag of gold coins.
It was an amount she would have fainted looking at in the past, but she had spent two months in the Grand Duke's Palace. She was more numb to money than she had been before. But still, she wasn't happy with her spending.
Victor, who had been dozing off the whole time, didn't say anything.
“Go up. I will get us something to eat.”
“Make someone else do it...Stay with me.”
Victor grabbed her wrist.
It was flowing.
“He's asleep, so he's acting silly. It doesn't mean anything.”
It was strange to see such an elegant man like him have such a pitiful expression. Her pain made her weak.
“I will be back soon. Get some rest.”
She told him quietly.
He looked at her silently and finally nodded.
When I heard heavy footsteps approaching, I quickly asked the innkeeper for warm water and a meal.
Carls, who was leaning against the counter, sighed.
“It's a big problem. The monsters are annoying, and His Highness is in bad shape.”
“Do you know why there are so many monsters?”
“I asked around, but no one knows. Even the guards don’t know.”
A large knight with an ax suddenly intervened.
“Well, it's breeding season, isn't it?”
“Sir Raoul.”
Knight Raoul smiled. It was
He has a cute ponytail that swings with every movement.
“Monsters are the most annoying in the summer. That's because they mate, so their numbers increase. And because it's hot, they rot before they can be buried. They're really disgusting.”
“Watch what you say in front of the lady, Raoul.”
He smiled widely at Leonard, who spoke sternly.
What do you mean? You must have peeled the skin off more monsters than all of us combined.
What are you talking about?
“Raoul!”
Raoul laughed.
Sir Raoul was originally a mercenary.
He was a baron's illegitimate child, so he left home as quickly as he could and became a mercenary.
The pay wasn't bad, but he said he became a Knight of Morty because he wanted to fight under a powerful man like the Grand Duke of Death.
Karls once said, “Why did he move here when the pay was so good? He must have gotten a bonus from it, so he had to leave.”
“Anyway, don't worry too much. Honestly, monsters aren't our biggest problem, right?”
Carls tried to console her.
"no. “On days like these, when His Highness falls asleep, it is as if we are all in heaven.”
Omarion bowed her head offensively.
They were right.
The Morte Knights, who were surprisingly very weak, had difficulty dealing with Victor when he suddenly woke up.
As if reading her expression, Karls clicked his tongue.
“Ma’am, we don’t want to talk to you like that either. But it’s a matter of survival for us.”
“On the battlefield, dozens of men stood guard in front of his tent. It was painful for both His Highness and the knights. We thought he was better now.”…
Leonard muttered.
The knights exchanged bitter glances. It was an expression of pity towards their master.
Just in time, the innkeeper brought over a tray of bread, soup, and roast pork.
Sad, she picked up the tray and carried it to the second floor.
***
She carefully opened the door and saw Victor drying his hair with a towel.
Through the gaps in his clothes, I could see his moist, reflective skin.
She quickly bowed her head and put down the tray.
“Everything, Victor.”
“I have no appetite.”
“You still have to eat.”
He turned a stern look towards her. His expression darkened when he saw her. It completely withered away in just a few days.
“You're going through a tough time.”
“I'm fine. I sleep half the day in my stroller.”
“I didn't want to make you suffer like this.”
Victor's eyes darkened.
She hurriedly shook her head.
“It's not your fault, Victor. Don't apologize for something that's not your fault. I just want you to be able to rest, I'm by your side.”
Victor hugged her tightly.
“My Marion.”
A clean soapy scent spread from his body.
She couldn't believe he was worried and apologizing for something that wasn't his fault.
She tried to focus on anything but Victor in an attempt to calm her rapidly beating heart.
“His strong shoulders and neck”...
Suddenly, an idea occurred to her.
Honestly, she didn't really like it, but if it was Victor's...
I spoke calmly.
“Victor. Aren’t you going to eat??”
“Huh? Yes… I just want to lie down with you.”
He rubbed his cheek against her neck and mumbled weakly.
She said cheerfully.
“I have something to give you. Will you turn around for a moment?”
"Huh? What is this?"
He raised his head and quickly turned around.
Before he could look back, the fist of her sword collided with the back of his neck.
***
“How can this be?”
Victor was shocked when he had breakfast the next day.
Omarion swallowed her hot soup silently.
The knights were almost crying with laughter.
“What? Thanks to the lady, I slept well.”
“If you can call it a sleeper.”
“He lost consciousness, that's all.”
Victor stared hard at Carls.
Omarion rubbed her cheeks in embarrassment.
Victor, who went outside, woke up five hours later.
Fortunately, he slept well without waking up in the middle.
She had entrusted his care to the knights and closed her eyes to sleep, and as soon as she woke up, she felt their gazes.
“I never thought such a method existed.”
“Arthur, she can do it because she's the lady. If she did that, your head would roll.”
Omarion tried to ignore their banter as she asked Victor gently.
“Are you feeling better?”
He nodded.
“I'm getting better, it's breaking my heart.”
He tilted his beautiful almond eyes pitifully.
“I can't believe you hit me after you said you'd give me something. Is anyone else's wife that mean?”
“Sleep is the most precious gift I can give you.”
“Wasn't it like fainting?”
This time she also looked at Sir Carls. Karls covered his smiling lips with his fist.
As Sir Carls mentioned previously,
“One day, I will die for my mouth.”
Anyway, when I saw how Victor improved a little, I felt more at ease.
Until yesterday, everyone was so exhausted that they couldn't laugh, let alone joke, but when they see that they have the energy to make fun of her and Victor, their spirits must be high.
“Of course, this is not a permanent solution.”
She silently dipped the bread into her soup.
Whether he liked it or not, Victor was precious and important to her.
If his illness threatens the safety of himself and others, it's the right thing to do.
That was chivalry.
She watched Victor with a smile as he joked with his knights.
***
The journey continued with Victor, who improved slightly.
He still couldn't sleep properly, but he renewed his stamina by sleeping in the carriage, holding her hand.
When he fell asleep, she chewed convulsively and watched him, making sure he didn't wake up.
Other than that, there were no problems.
No more Firewolves appeared, and the hot weather cooled as they headed north. Knights began to wear capes over leather armor, and led their horses against the bitter winds.
The trip was less difficult than I expected.
Compared to the long, cold trips she had taken, on foot, in Amari, she felt comfortable.
Deidrick, the only non-combatant in the group, was good at cooking.
When they camped, he mixed the beef with spices and vegetables to create the perfect beef stew.
She ate three bowls herself while listening to the knight's banter.
The Morte Knights were good people.
They said they had followed Victor for more than a decade, and were fiercely loyal.
I sensed their admiration from the way they talked about Victor.
“Although I have traveled all over the continent, I have never found anyone stronger than His Highness.”
“Did you know that he killed two hundred knights alone during the invasion of the Eastern Kingdom?”
“At the end of the war, just hearing his name made the enemies leave the battlefield.”
“Even the princes of the allied countries were afraid, so they did not approach our garrison.”
She nodded happily.
When she heard Victor praised, strangely, she felt that they were praising her as well.
Honestly, it all seemed a bit exaggerated, but these knights were weak...
Then suddenly, Victor, who was discussing their next destination, put his head in her lap with a very calm face.
“Victor?”
I looked at him in amazement.
Victor, lying on her thighs, closed his eyes cheekily, as if it were a natural thing for married couples.
When she raised her head, the sour expressions of the two knights were directed towards her.
Her face felt like it was on fire.
This trip allowed her to get comfortable with the knights, but if they saw such shameful behavior, she would never be able to make eye contact with them again.
“Victor.”
She waved her hands in front of his face.
“If you stay like this, I think I'll fall asleep.”
Unlike her, who felt embarrassed and ashamed, he was lying comfortably and casually in her lap.
"You said you were going to put me to sleep, right, Marion?"
He opened his eyes slowly.
His smile lit up by the dim light of the campfire and his features enchanted her.
Why was Victor's face always clouding her judgement?
She almost agreed to let him do whatever he wanted, but she managed to restrain herself when she heard Kalz's sincere voice.
“We will do anything for you. You are our master.”
**
• End of chapter •
To be continued •••
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