Death Can’t Sleep - Chapter 74
The soldiers appeared after sunrise.
“Madame! Your highness! Are you okay?”
Sir Raoul’s voice could be heard in the distance.
Amarion pondered as she lay down on the sandy floor with her arms stretched out.
How reckless was that? If that monster had killed her and Victor, their shouting would’ve attracted it and they wouldn’t have stood a chance. Victor’s fragile knights were so loyal sometimes that it worried her.
Victor, who was lying next to her in the same way, asked.
“Aren’t you supposed to answer them?”
“I don’t have the energy to answer because I’m tired.”
“So am I.”
“Aren’t you good at talking?”
Victor laughed. It was a sound as sweet as melting sugar. He looked relieved after he confided his past to her in the cave all night long.
Their gloved hands intertwined. Amarion closed her eyes and smiled softly.
At that moment, Sir Leonard jumped in.
“Madame!!”
The knight who was running slowly stopped, startled to see them lying on the dirt floor.
“…What are you doing?”
“After hunting, we talked about the past.”
“In this place?”
The blonde-haired knight glared at Victor coldly.
Inside the cave was a mess.
Claw marks and cracks were dug into the walls, and rocks had changed color in places due to poison. And the corpse of a monster, as big as a mountain, lay dead in the corner, its eyes pierced.
It was a scene where, after one glance, one could easily guess that a terrible battle had taken place.
Leonard spoke very critically.
“I’ve always said it, but you really can’t choose such a place to date.”
“I don’t want to hear it from you, who hasn’t even proposed to Miss Julianna yet.”
The deputy chief’s expression darkened.
Amarion burst out laughing.
The clear sound of birds chirping outside filled her heart.
It was the end of a long fight.
＊ ＊ ＊
The subjugation army began its post-war cleanup.
After the Basilisk died, the abnormal behavior of the monsters calmed down, and everything returned to its original state surprisingly quickly.
It was a peace that seemed to erase all the hardships they had faced.
Everyone was busy, so Amarion could do nothing but sit by the window and read <The Adventures of Dordophin>. She combed through her long, flowing hair while she read the book.
Dordophin was finally meeting the Grand Duke.
[… Flamberge’s father, the Grand Duke, was a handsome-looking man. But Dordophin mercilessly pointed his sword at him.
“The Lady has sent me to kill you.”
At the knight’s words, the Grand Duke opened his eyes wide.
“What do you mean? Why did my daughter send a knight?”
Then he scratched his head.
“She’s a terrifying magician, and if she wanted to, she could send me to another dimension, right?”
“What?”
Dordophin opened his mouth.]
‘What?’
Amarion also opened her mouth.
Naturally, she thought that evil Flamberge was using Dordophin to kill her father who had imprisoned her in the tower, but was that not the case?
She quickly turned the page.
According to the Grand Duke, Flamberge was not even imprisoned. He said that right after her coming-of-age ceremony, she went into the tower and lived there on her own volition. She knew how to wield powerful magic, so if she wanted to kill the Grand Duke, she could have easily.
‘No, then why would she ask Dordophin? Is the Grand Duke lying?’
A shadow suddenly fell over her.
“Madame.”
Amarion quickly raised her head.
The old Count stood in front of her.
He still looked scary.
She carefully closed the book.
“…Count Fidelburg. What brings you here?”
“I would like to ask for your opinion on the loot issue. What are you going to do with the Basilisk skin?”
“Skin?”
“It is a meaningful item that can be used as a flag for the Grand Duke, so it would be best to take it with you.”
The Count recommended in a clerical manner.
Amarion thought for a moment and shook her head.
“No. I learned that the polite thing to do is leave monsters in their local area. That leather repels both fire and cold, so it’s probably pretty useful, isn’t it?”
“Yes, maybe.”
“Then please use it where you need it. You can sell it to rebuild the wall. The West Watchtower had to be completely rebuilt.”
The Count looked down at her quietly. When his sharp wolf-like eyes fell on her, she felt intimidated.
‘Was I too presumptuous? Still, it’s better for them to use it than to keep it in a warehouse…’
She nervously touched her fingertips. Suddenly, the silent Count opened his mouth.
“I thought the Grand Duke would never come here again.”
Amarion looked up at him in shock. It was the first time the Count had talked about anything unrelated to work. Count Noah Fidelburg had always kept his distance from her.
What was the reason?
“Victor? Why?”
“There were several relatives of our family among those executed by his highness. They sinned, and it was the law of this land for them to be punished, but I couldn’t support him.”
‘I see.’
She didn’t know why the Count’s attitude was so impolite, but it turned out he was actually one of the vassals who hated Victor. That was the reason why he treated Victor and Leonard coldly.
But it wasn’t that she didn’t understand why. On the contrary, it made her a little sad.
She just nodded.
“It must have been difficult.”
The Count stared at her again. After a long silence, Count Noah continued.
“There are things a nobleman should not do.”
“What?”
“Love.”
It was such an unexpected word.
The Count’s eyes were full of remorse.
“Love clouds judgment and prevents us from fulfilling our duties. That was the case with the former Grand Duke, who lost his wife when he was young and wandered for the rest of his life. He was our ruler, but he was a poor Lord and father.”
“…”
“So when my second daughter was very young, I arranged a partner for marriage in advance. But young people’s emotions are like flames; no one can stop them.”
Count Noah took a deep breath.
“When the Grand Duke executed the vassals, I advised my daughter to break her engagement. I didn’t want my daughter to marry into his entourage.”
“Then…”
“Then she cried.”
Her mouth fell open. It was because she couldn’t imagine the strong and graceful Julianna crying.
The Count said sternly.
“And now, his highness the Grand Duke followed her highness all the way here, helping the people. Shattering people’s expectations that you’d be confined to the castle the whole time. He hated the people of this land so much.”
Count Noah let out a sigh.
“What is love?”
“Marion!”
At the same time, someone called her name from afar.
She quickly looked for the source of the sound. Victor, who was approaching with a bright smile, saw the Count and stopped.
The Count bowed politely towards him and backed away.
“Then I’ll get going, Madame. I’ll see you at the banquet.”
As soon as the Count moved away, Victor came forward. He frowned.
“What did you talk about with the Count?”
“It wasn’t a big deal.”
“Then why is your face red?”
He touched her forehead with the back of his hand. She turned her head in surprise.
‘Because the Count was talking about love…’
With a red face, she quickly changed the subject.
“Are you ready for departure? They told me to pack everything this afternoon.”
“Of course. I didn’t bring anything, did I?”
“I’m still amazed at how you came all the way here with just a sword.”
“I missed you that much.”
Victor laughed playfully. Amarion glared at him and finally laughed.
After their reconciliation, their relationship had become much more comfortable than before. Victor smiled more often, and she blushed less often at every word he said.
He was still beautiful and made her heart race, but she felt like the awkwardness and tension that she had been holding on to was gone. Rather than feeling excited, she felt comfortable affection.
Of course, there were still some things that had not changed.
“…Victor, it’s broad daylight.”
She protested as he grabbed her hand and kissed it.
“Right. But we’re a ‘married couple’.”
“You can’t do it just because we’re a couple. According to what I learned from Sumona…”
“That is the etiquette of a gentleman. I am a knight.”
“Victor, you really are…”
“So, just think of me as just a lost, wandering knight.”
He smiled seductively.
Suddenly, the tips of her ears flushed red.
How could this man be so shameless?
He said that he had never held a Lady’s hand before, but that must have been a lie.
As she was about to retaliate, someone coughed.
“Ahem, Ahem!”
She turned her head in surprise. Mary, holding a basket of herbs, was looking at them very critically.
“You two, this is the entrance to the castle. Countless people come and go!”
Amarion panicked and pushed Victor away.
“M- sorry. I shouldn’t have done this…”
“The Victory Banquet will start soon, so you must change your clothes, Grand Duke.”
The girl said politely.
Victor whispered.
“Your maid seems to hate me.”
“Mary hates anyone who breaks the rules.”
Amarion mumbled and got up from her seat.
“See you later, Victor.”
Victor smiled.
Amarion followed Mary to her room.
