Chapter 34

4. Put the Cart Before the Horse

Another lucid dream.

Again, my body was translucent like a ghost, and I easily passed the obstacles in front of me.

I looked around with anxious eyes. It looks like I am inside a building somewhere, but it’s the first place I’ve ever seen it.

The view is blurry because there is a lot of dust inside.

‘Is this a predictive dream again?’

After a short walk, people appeared.

There are familiar faces.

‘The Raven Knights?’

The Knights of Raven are exploring the surroundings with vigilant eyes.

Among them is Aren.

It seems that the knights are carrying out their mission.

First of all, I followed Aren, who I was more comfortable with.

Then, he suddenly turned his head away.

I was inadvertently startled, but of course, he didn’t see me.

Aren shouted, [Get off here right now–]

At the time,

boom!

The flames roared with a loud explosion.

The knights around were caught up in the explosion in an instant.

‘Nonsense!’

Surprised, I stretched out my hand toward Aren, who was engulfed in fire.

“No!”

I woke up from my bed screaming.

My whole body is drenched in sweat. I roughly brushed the hair that stuck to my cheek.

‘I can’t pass it off as a normal dream anymore.’

Even after my last dream about Leah, didn’t the same thing happen in reality?

But it’s really weird.

‘Aren is the heroine of this story.’

What will happen when she dies? Who will break Rupert’s curse?

In this world, doesn’t everything end in a happy ending no matter how the story goes in the middle?

I muttered, “If I don’t stop it, will Aren die like in my dream……?”

Where did the problem come from?

I thought that it would be enough for me and Leah to simply think about making a living.

I thought that everything would go as planned even if the two of us were gone.

I sighed.

“Haah……”

After all, life doesn’t seem to go so easily.

***

It was natural for my heart to feel rushed when I had such a dream.

Of course, I hate Aren’s death, and there are many problems that arise after his death.

‘I need to find out why I’m having these dreams soon.’

For that, I have to meet Michael.

In blood relations, he is almost like a stranger, but nonetheless, he is the only person I can trust.

Besides, he is a genius who has been using magic since he was 3 years old.

There is a saying that the history of magic is divided into before and after Michael’s birth.

He’s such an incredibly busy man that he didn’t stay long in one place.

‘I wish I had time to ask questions about my condition.’

I stayed in my room and wrote a letter to him.

Just as the letter was put into the envelope, a knock was heard.

“Madam, Mrs. Rizé and the Duke have visited together.”

“Okay. I am coming.”

I sealed the envelope and gave it to the maid, then I went out.

Mrs. Rizé usually came with her maid when she came to this villa. But on three or four occasions, Leander accompanied her, and each time he played with Leah.

Of course, Leah also welcomed him very much.

*

“The Duke is here too!”

“Leah.”

Leah, who jumped, was held up by Leander.

I smiled when I saw them get along.

“Did the Duke follow you here to see Leah?”

Mrs. Rizé smiled and nodded her head.

“He did.”

I remembered when my first niece was born in my previous life.

‘So did I.’

Leander is a good-natured person, so being with Leah should be fine.

‘It would be a problem if he met Rupert, whose personality is the complete opposite of him.’

But it doesn’t matter since he’s not here right now.

“Noel, you have a bad complexion. Is something bothering you?”, asked Mrs. Rizé, who put down the teacup.

I answered quickly, “No, nothing.”

Indeed, Mrs. Rizé was quick to notice.

I immediately turned the subject.

“Come to think of it, I have one concern.”

“What is that?”

“Leah wrote a letter to her father not long ago.”

“Oh, what was it?”

“I didn’t see it. She said it was a secret.”

Stroking the handle of the teacup with my fingers, I asked, “I’m worried about that. I don’t know what her behavior means.”

This is not quite a lie. The only person I can consult on this subject was Mrs. Rizé.

What if Leah really wants to see Rupert? I worried about that.

“Why didn’t you ask Leah directly?”

To this extent, I have no choice but to reply with a depressed mood.

“I can’t do that. There is a problem.”

“What’s the problem?”

I shrugged.

“The problem is me. I was afraid that if I asked such a question, she would answer that she wanted to meet her father.”

I can’t ignore Leah’s will.

I thought about the lucid dream where Aren came out, but I may be the one who lacks courage rather than my daughter.

‘Can I go back to Rupert’s side and get along well?’

A man with a curse that can only live by killing people. And according to the original story, he was going to kill me and Leah too.

He has no emotion.

‘There’s no way Rupert would take care of us.’

I’m not the one who can change him.

“……”

Somehow she interpreted my expression, Mrs. Rizé opened her mouth seriously, “Noel, if your husband is someone who commits something like violence, I will help you…… Oh my, did I say something I shouldn’t?

“He is not that kind of person!”

“I’m glad if not that’s the case.”

It’s pretty scary if it was true. I hid my bewildered expression as I picked up my teacup.

At that time, a maid came rushing to me.

“Ma-Madam, I have something to tell you.”

“What happened?”

The maid who approached quickly whispered in my ear.

“It seems that the Master has come, but……”

Whoops, I almost spit out my tea.

‘Who’s coming?’

Who will be called the Master of this villa?

Rupert Ainel.

Am I still dreaming?

‘Why are you here?’

I shook my head quickly.

Did something happen to Aren?

‘No, more than that……’

“Duke……where is the Duke now? ”

It would be a problem if Leander and Rupert met. It’s like detonating a bomb in the middle of the villa.

“He just went to the flower bed with Miss Leah……”

‘Emergency!’

A warning light came on in my head. I jumped up.

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Rizé. Excuse me for a moment.”

It was a flower bed, so I guessed where it was. Recently, I planted flower seeds with Leah. She must have taken Leander with her to show him.

I grabbed the skirt and went to the flower bed.

And just before turning the corner.

“–Duke Leander Ernst, why are you here?”

“That’s what I want to ask.”

I stopped at the bloody conversation.

They already met.

‘I’m screwed.’

***

There were several reasons why Leander and Rupert had a bad relationship.

First of all, because the Yuren Kingdom borders the Romstro Empire. It is often difficult to deal with the affairs that occur there. Cross-border crimes such as slave traders, thieves, and smuggling were among them.

If something happened at the border, some coordination was necessary between the two countries when resolving it. An informal meeting was also held for that purpose.

Rupert and Leander both had their own estates near the border.

Because of this, the two often met as representatives of the talks.

……Naturally, the results were always bad.

“Isn’t this the first time we’ve met since you bothered me with a bandit wandering around the border?”

Leander was furious, “Marquis Ainel, I wouldn’t have protested if you hadn’t thrown the bandit’s body into a flock of wolves on the border plain.”

“That was a warning to other bandits nearby.”

“Did you call such a cruel act a warning?”

Rupert answered sarcastically, “There are a lot of idiots in the world who don’t understand the situation well, the innocent Duke Ernst.”

Neither of them showed any respect.

“It’s much better than saying that you’ll catch the bandits only after there is a victim.”

The two are fundamentally incompatible.

For Rupert, actions preceded thoughts, and for Leander, thoughts preceded actions.

The way things are handled is different.

‘Rather, stop fighting in front of Leah!’

Although Leander has covered Leah’s ears for a long time, it is ferocious to see an adult like this in front of a child.

Rupert’s eyes grew fiercer when he saw Leander’s hands.

“Could it be that you were the Duke in the letter? I don’t know what you are doing here, but let Leah come here now.”

As he stretched out his hand, Leander smirked and hid Leah behind him.

“What are you doing? I know you are cruel, but are you trying to kidnap a child?”

The stunned Rupert replied, “Kidnap? That’s what I should have said. Besides, do you know where you are right now?”

‘I can see that you both have a huge misunderstanding.’

I covered my face with my hands. I can’t think of a way to clean up this mess.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere becomes bloody.

“Marquis, I want to let you know that in the Yuren Kingdom, a punishment for child abduction is possible.”

Rupert snorted.

“Are you even capable enough of getting me punished? You? A loser?”

“……!”

Leander frowned at his provocation.