# 43
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Episode 43
* * *
Despite Ruelia's questioning, Melissa did not reveal any details about the man she loved.
She remained silent all the way home.
“It is not necessarily one-sided love, but just admiration from afar.”
Ruelia followed her to her bedroom door, but the answer remained the same.
“It's not fair!”
“It's like you're hiding the Duke's family matters from me.”
Ruelia pursed her lips, but decided not to respond.
It's Melissa's private life.
Of course, she was worried.
Because of Melissa's delicate beauty and frail health, she was often harassed by different men. There was also someone who had hurt her, one of the scoundrels who had tried to take advantage of Ruelia, Bellona's guild's chief assistant.
Because of that painful experience, Melissa rejected everyone who approached her for fear of being a burden on her sister.
“There's no need to say who he is, just tell me how you feel about him.”
Faced with Ruelia’s insistence, Melissa raised her arms in surrender.
"He's tall, handsome, nice... but he's not someone I can aspire to. He's just a crush, really."
'Is he noble?'
Ruelia tried to collect the threads while furrowing her eyebrows, but Melissa spoke seriously.
“But, after you gave me that signal, why did you suddenly agree to attend Countess Bellona’s tea party?”
“Because she invited that particular character.”
"from?"
“The diamond mine owner we heard about in the jewelry store.”
It was said that this man was looking forward to meeting Ruilia.
Melissa tilted her head as she took out clothes to change, unable to put things together.
Ruelia smiled mysteriously.
“Finally, I will be able to secure our future.”
"How? Are you going to buy the diamond mine?"
“No, that costs more than a million gold!”
The money that Ruelia had saved during the two years in the Duke’s family, 20 thousand gold, was not enough to even think about it.
"permission?"
“A small forest near it?”
Melissa remained confused, not understanding why she wanted to buy that.
Ruelia sat on the edge of Melissa's bed, with a slightly excited face.
"truly?"
“Yes, next to Melissa’s original village.”
Even for Ruelia, who has lost her childhood memories, this forest is like home.
It is the land the sisters promised to return to one day.
"Ah, but if you marry the man you love, you won't be able to go back there. I'll go alone then."
“What? Take me with you!”
“Oh, what about your crush?”
“I told you, it's just a crush!”
"Hmm, what should I do? I was hoping to take a strong brother-in-law back home. Is that guy you like strong?"
“He seems to be good at using a sword. His arms are strong and his shoulders are broad, so he looks strong, but he is not suited for heavy work...”
“I caught you!”
Ruelia opened her eyes in surprise and whistled.
Melissa's face blushed.
She threw the clothes she was carrying on her sister's head and rushed towards her.
“You really are!”
“Haha, sorry, sorry.”
Ruelia ran away from Melissa screaming.
“I will go to the Duke’s family for a moment. I have something to ask the butler.”
The smile did not leave Ruelia's face.
If you succeed in purchasing the forest, there will be no more worries.
No matter what the worst happened, she and Melissa would have a place to escape to.
* * *
When Ruelia arrived at the Duchy Palace, she went straight to look for the butler in the office. But strange noises were heard from the training ground.
"Whoa! Did you see that hit?"
“Show them your strength, my lord duke!”
Cheers of the knights, and the sound of metal scraping.
'Is the Duke training?'
Ruelia became curious, so she forgot about the butler and headed enchanted to the training ground.
'He wouldn't have taken his shirt off, would he?'
Her heartbeat quickened, a mixture of anticipation and curiosity.
Ruelia arrived at the training ground via the familiar road, but she almost covered her eyes in front of the harsh scene.
"Oh, my God!"
One-sided violence.
A desperate struggle for survival.
Ruelia covered her mouth with her hand at what she saw.
“Is that guy okay?”
What Belen sometimes suffered at the hands of Caelus was, by comparison, an education full of affection.
There was no mercy in Cayce's hands.
'Who is this man that the Duke treats him like this?'
There was no one among the Aber Knights who had such a delicate appearance.
His sword skill was different from that of the Aber Knights. Although Ruelia doesn't know much about fencing, she notices that the basics are different.
Ruelia naturally blended in among the knights as she scanned the place.
'Does that red cloak belong to him?'
The cloak lying aside in the square was familiar. It is a cloak worn only by the Imperial Family Guard.
“Oh my God, he deserves to be a relative of the Crown Prince, he’s holding up well!”
“Indeed, how many hours have passed now?”
“He deserves to wear the mantle of Guard Captain.”
Looking at him, his back wasn't completely strange.
It was the knight who was guarding the balcony on the day of the party.
“But why is the commander of the Crown Prince’s guard in the duke’s palace?”
When Ruelia smoothly joined the conversation, the Aber Knights were surprised and moved aside.
“When did you come, assistant?”
“Isn't today your day off?”
“Yes, right. I had a good rest and came to check something.”
Suddenly, a strong sound of swords clashing rang out from afar.
At the same time, the sword of the man who was said to be the captain of the guard fell to the ground, and he bent down on one knee.
The Aber Knights shouted cheerfully together.
"Whoa! This is our Duke!"
“I was saying that losing to the Crown Prince was a mistake!”
The rumor wasn't as false as she thought. But why he lost remains a mystery.
The Duke extended his hand to the kneeling Viscount Levenel.
“Well done. You were good.”
“No, thank you for teaching me. It was a great honor.”
“I wasn’t necessarily intending to teach.”
Kyles helped him up and handed him a towel.
“Can you continue?”
The opponent was drenched in sweat, and it was surprising that he had not collapsed yet.
Levinel felt a shiver.
'Is this a duel that ends in death?'
When an ominous thought struck him, he turned his head slightly to look for a way out.
Then his eyes fell on a small woman with light blue hair.
“My lord Duke, it seems that your help has returned.”
Levinel smiled with great happiness.
Kyle's face contorted, a mixture of disappointment and anger.
“Really...”
Caelus reluctantly lowered his sword.
Levinel got up, steadying his trembling legs, bowed to Caelus, and strode towards Ruelia.
“Hello, Assistant Ruelia.”
Ruelia looked in amazement at the handsome knight who approached her.
“Oh, yeah, hello?”
While Ruelia was blinking, the Crown Prince's guard commander took out a piece of paper from his chest and presented it.
“The Crown Prince ordered me to deliver this to you.”
Ruelia looked at his outstretched hand in confusion. She saw no reason for the Crown Prince to send her a message.
But a message from the imperial family cannot be rejected.
“Tell the prince I received the message.”
Ruelia received the message politely.
The guard captain smiled innocently.
At that moment, Ruelia blinked her eyes as she looked at him. With every blink, her eyes sparkled with curiosity.
'Handsome.'
He wasn't her type, but...
'The kind that Melissa would like. Handsome, polite, and his future is secure...'
Ruelia narrowed her eyes, subconsciously examining him from head to toe.
She liked the way he maintained his stoic stance despite his exposure to Kyles.
'They said he was a commoner?'
Even his position is appropriate as Melissa's partner.
But today Melissa said she loves someone else.
'It's just a crush.'
Ruelia fiddled with the letter regretfully, then raised her head. The man spoke as if he was waiting.
“The prince also ordered me to deliver a thank you gift to Lady Melissa.”
Ruelia's eyebrows rose, as if a question mark was hanging over her head.
“A thank you gift?”
“Yes, he said he had a great and grateful time when he visited your house with you.”
Ruelia blushed.
She remembered a memory she hoped would remain sealed forever.
She didn't want to remember that night until she was writing an apology report to the Duke.
Meanwhile, Caelce was quietly watching Ruelia from behind in her confusion.