19. A cup after work, the joy of life
As soon as Duke Carlex entered, silence suddenly fell over the loud commotion.
Behind him stood the darkening evening sky, his eyes shining with a harsh coldness.
His huge, plump body cast a shadow, making him appear even more powerful.
The tough soldiers, who were boasting of their exploits as they raised their tin cups, sat down like obedient disciples.
The villagers, who were making light of their hard day with their jokes and laughter, quickly lowered their heads.
The playful oud player's hands stopped playing in the middle of the tune.
Truly, he is a duke of an unbearable presence.
As if they were about to kneel and bow if someone called out: “His Highness Duke Reinhardt is in sight!”
The innkeeper, who was cleaning the glasses, hurried towards them, bowing.
“Your Highness the Duke, my humble tavern has been honored by your visit. Welcome.”
At that moment, Shadow Knights Squad Leader Leonard and Knights Gilbert and Liam came out from inside the bar, and stood at attention.
They all had astonished faces as if they had seen a ghost.
“How…how did His Highness the Duke get here?”
Commander Liam - who was always known for his composure - said it stammering with a confused face.
Gilbert scanned the surroundings with wide eyes like a frightened rabbit, even looking frightened.
While Leonard was looking at Carlex with admiration, he recognized me wrapped in the cloak and whistled softly.
“Oh my God, His Highness the Duke is attending a bar with a young lady? Will the kingdom collapse tomorrow?”
“Where's the seat, Commander Liam?”
When Carlex asked, Commander Liam - who woke up late - gathered his strength and quickly directed them into the bar.
When I first took the inside seat of the table, Carlex sat next to me.
As for the Shadow Knights, they did not dare to participate in sitting and stood in a row in front of us like soldiers.
I felt guilty for the knights inside me.
If you think about it, it's like a manager suddenly walking in on his employees chatting and drinking.
There is no room for objection to this.
Carlex exhaled softly and then nodded to the Shadow Knights.
“Sit down if I am not disturbing you, as I would also like to share this session with you.”
“You bother us? Indeed, it is a great honor, Your Highness the Duke!”
“We thank you for graciously attending.”
“Your Highness... you remind us so much...!”
Knights Leonard, Commander Liam, and Gilbert answered simultaneously and eagerly.
They all had faces full of excitement and emotion, so much so that Gilbert's eyes actually turned red.
Oh, I forgot.
The Shadow Knights were loyal, fanatical fans of Carlex.
The innkeeper approached the table cautiously.
Wiping off a cold sweat, he watched Carlex's expression.
“Should I fire everyone now? So that you can enjoy your rest...”
“It's okay if someone bothers us, just advise them.”
“Yes, of course it will. I hope you have a good time.”
The bar owner clapped his hands towards the bar patrons and shouted:
“Okay, okay, drink in moderation and behave yourself.”
With a hint of that clap, the player's skilled fingers launched onto the oud strings, and the joyful music flowed.
Then it seemed that the people were reassured, so they began to pick up the signals lightly and then return to interacting with one another and raising their glasses.
The pub regained its buzz and vitality.
When the bar owner was about to leave the table, I raised my hand and called him:
“Two beers, please.”
In any era, demand is the basis when sitting at the table.
After I finished my usual order, I looked around the table and found the atmosphere tense.
Carlex and the Shadow Knights were staring at me with astonished looks.
I shrugged.
“Did I do something wrong? This place’s famous craft beer is amazing.”
“You are good at asking, Miss Erica. Do you frequent this place often?”
Leonard asked, hissing in surprise.
“Well, after work I used to drink every day... No, I read about it in a book and wanted to order myself.”
I quickly apologized.
I almost admit that in my previous life I used to drink in bars every day after work.
At the right moment, the bar owner placed the two glasses of beer on the table.
Soft beer foam like a heavenly cloud floats above the golden beer.
Oh my God, here I have met a soul mate who consoles me.
I felt heat in my eye sockets.
As I was reliving my poignant encounter with beer, Leonard whispered to me in my ear:
“It was you who brought His Highness the Duke here, wasn’t it?”
“Yes, I wanted to drink beer, so His Highness the Duke said he would accompany me to protect me.”
“Wow, this is amazing. Miss Erica, you have accomplished a task that no brave knight in the kingdom could accomplish.”
Leonard looked at me admiringly.
What? Did you do something great?
I just wanted to drink beer after work.
“It has been seven years since we served His Highness the Duke, but I have never sat down to a table with him after fierce battles or hard training. He used to give us drinking parties, but he did not drink himself.”
"Why? Doesn't His Highness the Duke drink well?"
“He used to say that the reason is that wine amazes the mind and heart.”
Carlex seems to be a mercilessly strict and harsh person.
Wow, he abstains from drinking alcohol!
Commander Liam got up excitedly and raised his beer mug high.
“Come, let us all raise a toast to this honorable assembly in which we celebrate His Highness the Duke! For the glory of the House of Reinhardt!”
“And for the prosperity of the Kingdom of Ruberia!”
Five beer mugs collided in the air.
I enthusiastically joined them in the toast.
Of course, I was feeling the weight of Carlex's gaze that was staring at me with determination.
Let's focus on the drink at the Liquor Council, please.
She lifted her beer mug and emptied it in one go.
Knight Leonard whistled and raised a thumbs up, and the other knights were surprised.
Carlex furrowed his beautiful eyebrows.
It was a look of disbelief.
After draining the refreshing beer, I wiped the foam from the side of my mouth with my sleeve, feigning elegance.
“Beer is my soul mate.”
After the toast, the atmosphere at the table became boisterous.
“Do you remember, Your Highness, what happened in the Battle of Bernard? When the huge broken tree almost fell on you, I defended it with all my body!”
“Leonard, you were the one who fell while carrying that broken tree. I was the one who saved you before the tree crushed you.”
“Can’t you just remember my sacrificial spirit?”
When Knight Leonard complained, the corners of Carlex's mouth rose as if it was funny to him.
Commander Liam presented a report on the work to Carlex with a look full of reverence.
“The results of the training of the new knights squad this time are good, thanks to your guidance, Your Highness the Duke.”
“Many talented people entered. You made a great effort, Commander.”
Carlex patted the leader on the shoulder, and an expression of reverence appeared on his face.
“As for me? Thank me too, Your Highness, I raised all the young knights’ chicks myself!”
When Knight Leonard showed off so boldly, he was scolded by Commander Liam, who couldn't stand it.
“Raising them? You were the one who always ran away when we asked you to train them.”
“My God, would you like to reprimand me in this good assembly, Mr. Commander?”
“I will use this opportunity to retrain your mind first.”
As if bickering between Leonard and Commander Liam was a common occurrence, Carlex turned his gaze to Gilbert.
“Gilbert, your shooting skill has advanced a lot recently, it's great.”
“A… Thank you, Your Highness.”
When Carlex praised him, Gilbert's face turned red with joy and he did not know what to do, and Leonard mocked him.
As for me, I leaned my chin on my hand and enjoyed the friendly sight of the Northern Duke and his loyal knights, as if I was watching an entertaining movie.
The smells of delicious food coming from the kitchen, the smell of beer, the fresh breeze coming from the open window, and the warm lights of lamps hanging on every wall.
Toasts exchanged across the tables, applause and laughter flowing, it is a warm evening scene at the bar.
In this strange world, I never imagined that I would share a drinking session with the hero.
“Life is long and it shows one wonders to see with my own eyes His Highness the Duke drinking with a lady.”
Leonard said in an emotional voice as he continued talking.
But his actions were suspicious.
He pokes Gilbert's waist under the table.
Gilbert - with a face that looks very sorry - hands him two silver coins behind his back.
Wait, something fishy?
When Leonard, with a slight ghostly gesture, tried to hide the two pieces of silver, she whispered in his ear:
“Did you place a bet on whether His Highness the Duke and I would drink together or not?”
Leonard was startled and quickly avoided my gaze.
While Gilbert lowered his head like a comet.
“Knight Guardian of His Highness the Duke, do you bet? Aren’t you ashamed of the honor of the Shadow Knights?”
“I have made a grave mistake in daring to the lady... and betting with transgression...”
Leonard - who was always known for being calm and cheerful - staggered, not knowing what to do.
He was sincerely apologetic as he continued to bow.
“I feel disappointed, Knight Leonard. Why did you exclude me?”
"What? What do you mean?"
Leonard asked with an incomprehensible face.
“You should have shared the profits with me, since I was the one who brought His Highness the Duke here.”
She smiled innocently like a villain.
With a puzzled face, Leonard politely handed me a piece of silver.
“Next time, increase the bet, Knight Leonard.”
Leonard shook his head with a face like someone seeing a fierce, terrifying enemy.
“I must never make you an enemy, Miss Dale.”
“What are you talking about secretly?”
A voice as cold as frost.
Leonard and I both froze and turned around at the same time.
Carlex was looking at us with a hard face, his arms crossed.
The friendly atmosphere of the table became as cold as the Siberian plains.
The experienced Commander Liam suddenly stood up and gave Carlex a military salute.
“سمو الدوق، سأخرج قليلاً للتجول في المحيط ليونارد، جليبرت لننطلق.”
“What? Oh, yes! Yes, Commander.”
Gilbert, who looked as if he had been waiting for his mug, set down and saluted enthusiastically.
Unlike Gilbert, who was a strict military disciplinarian, Leonard looked apocalyptic and could not put down his beer.
When the Shadow Knights left the bar, an awkward silence fell over our table, where only Carlex and I remained.
In the middle of the noisy bar, we were alone like a secluded island.
The Carlex beer mug was as it was, as if he had never taken a sip of it.
Really, he's a static and uninteresting hero.
I shook my tongue inwardly and asked for another beer from the bar owner.
Carlex stared at the bar silently.
Even in the bar where everyone was slouching, laughing and talking comfortably, it seemed as if he was still in the middle of a fierce battlefield.
In the original story, he was always portrayed as an invincible, victorious hero.
But now, he looked like a lone knight chased to the edge of an impenetrable cliff as he fought enemies ceaselessly.
What is Carlex's real life like?
Why does the original story only talk about Carlex being in love with the heroine?
Why do not his cruel loneliness and heavy suffering appear in life?
Perhaps, the hero himself is just an ideal secondary character for the heroine only.
“Erica, do you hear me?”
I was lost in thought, when Calix's voice woke me up.
He looked at me dissatisfied.
“I was told that you are the daughter of a nobleman, so why do you seem accustomed to such a place? Haven’t you learned the manners of a nobleman?”
What's wrong with you? Why does the hero suddenly do this?
(To be continued…)
Loving translation