If You Wish For A Married Couple’s Duties - Chapter 65

“I’ve done everything that I can for now. How is it?”

At the question from the knight that tended to her wound, Dooha tried to move her bandaged arm around.

“It’s alright. It’s also easy for me to move around.”

“Even so, please refrain from making extreme movements. The wound can worsen.”

“I’ll do my best.”

When Dooha nodded with a beaming smile, the knight sighed.

“Come to think of it, it’s truly fortunate. I was worried as I didn’t have enough herbs already, but I didn’t think that you’d be carrying herbs around with you.”

He carefully packed a bunch of dried medicinal herbs that Dooha had given him.

“But is it alright for you to give me this much?”

“It’s fine. I still have a lot left.”

“In that case, I will make prudent use of the medicinal herbs you have given me.”

“Don’t mention it. I’m the one that should be grateful for your treatment.”

Dooha greeted the knight that treated him simply and got up from her seat.

As she glanced around from her position, the knight looked at her questioningly.

“Where is Sir Baron?”

“If it’s Sir Baron, he should have just gone patrolling. I heard that since the nest is nearby, another wave of monsters might appear.”

“Oh…”

That’s troubling. What should she do when the person that said he’d allow her to meet with the duke isn’t present?

“What’s wrong?”

“He said that he’ll let me meet the Duke.”

“Ah, the Lord should be beside the nearby stream.”

“A nearby stream, you said?”

“Yes, the Lord would always take care of his sword and armour personally. It’s something that he can order us to do though.”

“I see.”

“Since the battle has been going on for days without a break, he probably didn’t even have time to prepare his armour. Perhaps he wanted to tend to it before entering the nest.”

Perhaps because his vigilance had been lowered since Dooha had given him those medicinal herbs, the knight offered that information unasked.

Then, he suddenly jumped up from his seat.

It seems like he’d recalled something urgent.

“I’m sorry, but I have to tend to other injured people…”

“No, please go ahead.”

The knight gave Dooha a light greeting, and turned around just as he was about to run off.

“Erm, I saw you at the castle.”

“What?”

“You saved the soldiers of Tochern Castle from the monsters.”

The knight looked at her with a serious gaze.

“Most of the soldiers in Tochern Castle are residents of the fief that haven’t been trained properly. All the original soldiers were killed by the monsters.”

Was that why they were so scared?

Dooha recalled the soldiers of Tochern Castle that quivered while facing those monsters.

“Thank you for protecting them.”

At the unexpected gratitude, Dooha’s eyes widened slightly.

“…Don’t mention it. I just did what I had to do.”

“I’ve also just given the greetings that I have to give. “

The knight smiled like he was truly grateful.

“It’s because you protected the people of my hometown. Then, I will pray that you’ll remain safe and sound tomorrow.”

The knight scratched his head embarrassedly and bowed his head, and disappeared soon after.

Dooha looked at the direction he’d disappeared in blankly and gripped her bow tightly.

Something welled up from a deep corner of her heart, something that she couldn’t feel while struggling in Bashal or sitting inside the ducal castle like a doll.

However, she didn’t have the time to immerse herself in unknown emotions.

Dooha turned around and rubbed the tip of her nose.

‘He’ll be by the stream as mentioned, right?’

She quickened her steps towards the sound of water.

In order to meet the duke before Count Jive’s arrival.

* * *

Swishhhh—

The sound of the leaves swaying in the wind caused Dooha to stop her movements silently.

Beside a stream illuminated by the moonlight.

Dooha could see the back of Leonhart, who was sitting on a knee.

He was completely defenceless, without his cape, breastplate, gauntlets, as well as the thin tunic he wore inside.

His back muscles looked as smooth and hard as marble, and pulsed powerfully and flexibly like a thick tree trunk with every movement.

At that sight, Dooha hid behind the tree inadvertently.

They were married in name.

It wasn’t her first time seeing her husband’s naked upper body.

She didn’t know why her face was red.

“Hah.”

Just then, a groan-like sigh came out of Leonhart’s mouth.

Dooha quickly took a peek.

‘What are you doing?’

Leonhart kept wiping the back of her neck with the stream’s water

When she took a closer look, she could see scars around his neck.

From how blood kept flowing out, it didn’t seem like a minor wound.

‘…Not again.’

Dooha bit her lip.

Why does that man keep trying to endure everything by himself?

Why did he keep hiding his efforts, weakness, and pain?

Why didn’t he truly rely on anyone?

“Come out.”

Then, Leonhart’s cool voice stuck in my ear.

“If you want to live.”

Unknowingly, he was accurately staring at the direction Dooha was in.

Eventually, Dooha had no choice but to appear in front of the Duke.

“…You.”

When Leonhart saw Dooha come out from the bushes, he frowned.

“What is it that you want to see me about?”

“I have something to inform you.”

“You have something to inform me about?”

“Yes.”

He stared at Dooha, who was more than ten steps away, and turned his head away.

“Speak.”

“Before that.”

Dooha took a step closer to the Duke and continued.

“May I come closer to the Duke?”

Leonhart turned his head back to her words.

His sharp gaze scanned up and down Dooha’s entire body.

He seemed to be observing if there was anything suspicious about her.

“Is there a reason why you have to approach me?”

“I don’t have any intention of harming the Duke. Please give me your consent.”

“…Hah.”

Leonhart’s eyebrows raised up and down like he was speechless.

“Do you think that you’ll be able to harm me just because you have that intention?”

“No, not at all.”

The duke’s expression became even stranger when Dooha flatly declined.

Leonhart stared at her, before nodding.

When the long-awaited permission was granted, Dooha strode towards him.

Dooha approached Leonhart in an instant and squatted down next to him.

They were in such close proximity that they could even hear each other’s breathing.

Just as she was about to take out the herb pouch hurriedly.

“Wait a minute.”

The duke grabbed Dooha’s wrist suddenly.

His gaze that was filled with suspicion slowly moved along the outline of her face, which was hidden underneath the hood.

Only silence remained between them both amidst the uncomfortable and tense atmosphere.

“You…”

Leonhart’s other hand approached slowly, like he was about to remove her headscarf.

But Dooha was faster.

“Excuse me.”

Before the duke’s hand could reach her, she pulled down the headscarf that was covering her lower face and poured the contents of the pouch into her mouth.

Her sudden actions caused bewilderment to enter the duke’s eyes.

“What are you suddenly doing…?”

However, Dooha didn’t even give the Duke a chance to ask.

She applied the medicinal herbs, which she’d chewed, onto the back of his neck.

“Since you’ve ascertained that it went into my mouth, you’re aware that it isn’t a poisonous plant.”

Dooha placed her hand at the wound and asked for the duke’s intentions.

“This medicinal herb is great for stopping bleeding. It’s also applied on my forearm. Please accept it.”

Leonhart stared at her blankly, forgetting to respond to her.

Although his forehead was crumpled and his eyes were fierce, it was far from being defensive or hostile.

How should she describe it? It was the eyes of a human being facing an unknown creature.

“…How absurd.”

He slowly opened his mouth.

“Did you ask for permission to approach in order to tend to my wounds?”

“Yes.”

“Ridiculous. That’s none of your business.”

Leonhart frowned and tried to push her hand away.

“Nothing will happen to me just because of a wound like this. You’re doing something rather useless…”

“It’s just that, even a wound like that can become dangerous if the bleeding isn’t stopped.”

Dooha looked directly into the duke’s eyes for the first time since she came here and continued.

“Even if you’re a duke.”

“……”

“Didn’t the Duke save my life not too long ago? Please give me a chance to repay you, too.”

At the sight of those eyes that he found familiar for some reason, Leonhart frowned.

The existence in front of him was the escort of the person he hated the most in this world.

Even if he seemed like he didn’t have any hostility, who knows what exactly he was thinking.

In the first place, wouldn’t an escort follow their master?

As such, there was no reason to listen to him, even if it was out of good intentions.

However, Leonhart couldn’t think of a reason to not listen to him.

Perhaps it’s due to the familiar scent that he gave off.

“…What a strange punk.”

The words that Leonhart finally uttered were different from the conclusion he reached in his mind.

“Do as you please.”

“Thank you.”

After receiving permission this time, Dooha placed her hand onto the duke’s nape carefully.

The duke clenched his hand into a fist reflexively as the extract from the medicinal herbs seeped into the wound.

After quietly inspecting the wound and spreading the medicinal herbs, Dooha opened her mouth.

“…How did you get such a wound?”

“The werewolf that tried to kill you earlier.”

Leonhart replied, staring straight ahead like he was disinterested.

“It was a scratch made by its claws. Thanks to that, I lost sight of it once.”

“You really aren’t like a duke.”

He couldn’t help but laugh at Dooha’s response.

“That’s amusing. What does a punk like you know about me?”

“I’ve heard it repeatedly throughout the journey here. That the duke is the strongest knight in the empire.”

“And so?”

“I thought that if it’s the duke, you definitely wouldn’t get hurt. Isn’t that what the strongest knight should be like?”

Truthfully, Dooha had such a thought.

The Duke that oversaw the Esbaden ducal castle was always like that.

Every time he returned from a monster subjugation, he was always fine.

Unrelated from her worrying, she definitely held an unconditional belief in his reputation.

“Look here, escort.”

Dooha looked up at the voice that seemed to have deepened for some reason.

Leonhart was gazing into the distance.

“A knight isn’t someone that doesn’t have injuries, and doesn’t know defeat.”

He continued while staring into a distant spot across the stream.

“No matter how terrifying and dangerous the situation is, they’ll remain alive and defend, even if they’re riddled with scars.”

Leonhart turned his head around slowly.

“And the title of the strongest is given to the knight that remains standing for the longest and has the most to defend.”

As the duke rose from his seat, Dooha looked up blankly.

“That’s the only reason why I’m called the strongest. It’s not because I never get hurt, or that I’m immortal.”

That was but a matter of course.

No matter how outstanding a knight was, he’ll get hurt as long as he’s human.

“Then…”

A suppressed voice rose from within Dooha’s throat.

“In that case, why are you dealing with everything by yourself?”

* * *