Chapter 27

Chapter 27

“…Your Excellency.”

When he came out with an expressionless face, Lancelot, who was waiting for him, glanced at him.

Seeing his gaze, Seth said in a low voice as Lancelot was looking at him with sad eyes as if he understood him.

“Why do you have such eyes? I was the one who killed an old friend.”

“Your Excellency—”

“Don’t look at me with those eyes. I’m fine. If there was anything that bothered me, it was that I ordered the body to be burned.”

“….”

“Even if he was a sinner, the old noble people wouldn’t want to leave me alone if I knew that I burned down the supply and demand of an aristocrat so that even their souls could not be saved.”

“…In principle, a person who commits treason is to be punished with filial piety. It would be a disgrace for the former Count Joaquin, who had a strong sense of pride on the other side. Your Excellency has been courteous to him until the very end.”

“Is that really what Kain thinks, too?”

“Your Excellency…”

“He would laugh at how merciful an executioner who catches people is.”

“Your Grace! What are you saying—! You are just following orders! The reason you’re being criticized like that…!”

“I never thought I’d live to see this day. It’s a wonder to hear that woman say the same thing.”

“…Yes?”

As Seth was speaking as though he was mumbling to himself, Lancelot asked back. At the same time, Lancelot raised his head involuntarily, seeing that his master’s expression was not as dark as he had expected, he couldn’t continue to speak.

His master, Seth, took off the armor with a more calm face than expected, and put his hand inside the solid silver-white chest armor, before pulling out something small.

It was a small handkerchief embroidered with a blue thread. It was given to her by the former Duchess before leaving. Was it because he cherished it?

Looking down at it, which was not very different from the first time he received it, Seth muttered a little with a smile on his face.

“How could someone with a sword according to his position be called a murderer…? It’s funny, she said something like that. Someone who knows nothing about war…”

“…Your Honor.”

Lancelot peered at the face of his master, who was wearing an expression he had never seen on the battlefield with a blank look.

It was the first time. He was a knight stronger than anyone, so he had to cut down countless traitors. Because of that, Seth had a terrible and heavy feeling of guilt for those lives he took away.

Even though it wasn’t enough to take away all the dark and heavy emotions that were weighing him down, nonetheless. Still, he seemed better than before.

Looking at him like that, Lancelot said to his lord with a smile, too.

“Though she doesn’t know much about war and combat, I think the ex-Duchess made some pretty poignant words.”

“.…”

“It’s been days since we haven’t seen the ex-Duchess and Noah. By any chance, do you miss the former Duchess?”

“…Nonsense. Why would I feel that way?”

“Then, why are you taking out the handkerchief that the ex-Duchess made?”

“…It was just that I remembered Noah.”

“Is that really all?”

“Enough of this nonsense. Inform the entire army at the end of the battle and instruct them to rearrange their armaments. As long as the chieftain is caught and executed, there is no point in staying here.”

“…Yes, sir.”

As Lancelot, who had been contemplating his mind as if teasingly, noticed his master’s gaze returned with a blunt face. Hurriedly, he responded to Seth, who gave the order.

Then, at his command, he moved quickly.

Still, Lancelot smiled briefly as he watched his master gently unfold the handkerchief he was holding in his hand and push it deep into the armor.

3. As If It Was Planned

Was the reluctant feeling that she felt was just because she slept in the East Annex for the first time?

After that, Min-ha spent her daily life so dull that she felt bored.

If there was one thing that is a little different, was it that she had become more accustomed to living with Noah? Now, Noah was accustomed to falling asleep holding her hand tight, and sometimes waking up hearing the shouts of knights guarding the hallway outside.

As time went by, one day before the ten nights Seth had promised. Min-ha finished cleaning the library in the east annex as usual, and she came out, rubbing her stiff shoulders.

At some point, the light from the sun setting already filled the hallway of the annex. Min-ha thought of Noah, who would be waiting to have dinner with her after finishing his swordsmanship class she recently started with Bediviel, as she hurried upstairs.

“…M, Madam.”

“Yes?”

At that moment, as she was about to go up the stairs, a small woman appeared in front of Min-ha and called her up with her trembling voice.

Min-ha turned her head to answer the voice.

“What’s going on?”

“Well, that’s… Mrs. Wanda is looking for you.”

“Wanda? Is something wrong?”

“That’s—I, I can’t tell you here…”

“Really?”

“That’s why she said that she would be waiting for you in the annex where the Madam was staying!”

“I see.”

If it wasn’t a big deal, she thought Wanda could have waited to tell her during class this evening. Thinking that, Min-ha wondered if it was something urgent.

After she started spending the night with Noah in the East Annex, her daily life, including sewing classes with Wanda, was also taking place in the East Annex as well. So, it was a little strange that she asked her to come to her annex instead.

Because of that, Min-ha asked the woman in front of her again as though to make sure.

“She said she’d be waiting in the annex? Not the East Annex?”

“Yes, yes.”

“Well, all right. Which room was she waiting?”

​​

“She said she was waiting for you in the bedroom!”

Even though she asked again, wondering if the woman in front of her misunderstood, though the answer remained the same.

Min-ha was puzzled, but she meekly nodded her head. Seeing that, the servant’s face brightened as he stuttered in her trembling voice. Then, even though she did not ask for it, she volunteered to guide her first.

In the end, assuming it was something important, Min-ha didn’t think much of it and just followed her.

“By the way, what’s going on? Didn’t she tell you the reason?”

“…That, well—”

Nevertheless, it was still rather strange, so Min-ha asked if the servant had heard anything about it, though she only blurred her expression and avoided answering.

At that sight, Min-ha tilted her head, thinking if it would be all right since they were still inside the Duke’s mansion and the knights were guarding it. Though she quickly decided that she should meet Wanda to see what was going on and return to Noah, who was waiting for her.

With that in mind, she left the East Annex and walked to her annex.

Seeing the familiar silver-haired knight in the distance, she waved her hand and shouted.

“Oh? Sir Bediviel!”

Bediviel, who was walking with his stiff face, wearing the indigo cloak and sword around his waist, turned his head at Min-ha’s call and immediately approached her.

Then, with a gentle expression, he bowed down in front of Min-ha and said,

“Madam, are you done cleaning already?”

“Yes! How about Sir Bediviel? Have you been outside the castle?”

“Yes. Recently, a strong wind caused some problems with the western outer wall. I’m on my way back from supervising my duties.”

“Oh, really?”

“Where is the Madam going? Looking at the direction… is there something wrong with the annex?”

“No. Wanda wanted to see me at the annex for a while.”

Min-ha, who had stopped for a while and talked with Bediviel, whom she had become close with for the past few days, answered his question without much thought.

Hearing her words, Bediviel’s face hardened slightly. Nevertheless, he returned to a friendly face in an instant and answered Min-ha’s words with a smile.

“I see. Then, I will accompany you, Madam.”

“….?!”

However, the face of the young attendant who was guiding Min-ha became contemplative at Bediviel’s reply. At that, he raised the corner of his mouth and stared down at the servant with his cold eyes, and then immediately turned to Min-ha.

Min-ha thought that the suddenly cold atmosphere was strange, and she opened her mouth.

“Sir Bediviel?”

“Yes. I thought it would be more reassuring than to just have two women walking there alone.”

“All right. If only Sir Bediviel is not busy, I would appreciate that.”

“….!”

“Yes, Madam. Shall we go?”

In response to Min-ha’s reply, Bediviel smiled broadly and nodded his head. He then pushed the servant away and took the lead.

To be honest, she didn’t say it but she was a little relieved by his appearance. It was true that the situation had strangely bothered her for a while since this behavior was very unlike Wanda.

With that in mind, Min-ha entered the annex with Bediviel and the young attendant. As she climbed up the stairs, she shouted and opened the door of his bedroom until just a few days ago.

“Wanda, I’m here.”

However, there was no one in the bedroom.

Looking around, she tilted her head and said to Bediviel and the servant who stood behind her.

“It doesn’t seem that anyone’s here?”

It seems that way to me.”

“What happened? Did Wanda really call me here?”

When she looked back at her attendant at the presence of Wanda that she could not feel no matter how much she looked around the bedroom, the young attendant’s face changed to contemplation.

She replied with a trembling voice, bowing her head.

“I, I—i, it seems that it was…the East Annex, Madam.”

“Is that so? …Oh, as expected, Wanda wouldn’t be here.”

No wonder it was kind of strange.

With that thought in mind, Min-ha nodded her head in agreement, and the young attendant, who had been visibly trembling in front of her, suddenly fell to her knees and pounded her head on the floor, shouting.

“…I, I’m sorry. I apologize, Madam! I’m guilty, I should die!”

“No. Why are you getting down on your knees for something like this? You could be mistaken.”

Seeing the servant who kept on apologizing over and over again with her bleeding forehead, Min-ha glanced at Bediviel standing behind her as if asking for help.

However, without paying any attention to her gaze, Bediviel stared at her servant with his cold eyes and had a thoughtful expression on his face.

‘Well, people can make mistakes. His expression is so scary. Is he just going to kill her for something like this?’

Min-ha changed the topic with an awkward smile, as though to stop Bediviel, who was about to pull out his sword at any moment.

“Oh, I’m hungry! Let’s hurry up and go back. Noah must be waiting. Sir Bediviel, would you like to have dinner together?”

“…Yes. It’s an honor, Madam.”

“Thank you for telling me! See you, then!”

Min-ha handed her servant a brief thank you, then looked at her with bitter eyes before slapping her hand on Bediviel’s back, who somehow answered her dryly.

And so, Bediviel was pushed forward as if he had no choice, and said.

“…I know dinner is urgent, but my back hurts.”

“Oh, my! Really? Did I hit too hard?”

Min-ha was startled and quickly released the hand that was on his back.

At that moment, Bediviel lightly flicked her hand twice, avoiding Min-ha’s gaze. Then, he turned to her and smiled sweetly as though nothing had happened.

“It’s a joke. I’m a knight, too. This much wouldn’t hurt me.”

“…Ah, is it so?”

“Yes. Let us go, then. Noah might be hungry, waiting for us.”

Contrary to a while ago, Min-ha swiftly nodded her head at his words urging her and followed him.

She tried to look back because it was strange to see Bediviel rushing her to the point where she thought it was a little urgent. Though Min-ha didn’t notice his actions that secretly blocked her every time she tried to do so.

Moments later, Bediviel looked back covertly with cold eyes. There, where his gaze reached, the young servant was being dragged away with her mouth closed by the Persen knights wearing black clothes.

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────