Chapter 55

As Demalo expected, Adelia had no talent for the sword.

Rather, she was so bad that he was worried that she might be hated by the sword.

‘I can’t understand why you can’t even wield your sword when you dance pretty well.’

Demalo sometimes played Adelia’s dance partner and helped her practice.

Well, sword and dance were different issues.

Even if she can’t learn swords right away, no one said anything, but dancing was different.

Adelia was occasionally called to the capital and had to dance in front of the Lord.

So, the pressure she felt must have been different.

Still, she succeeded in building up her basic physical strength. She has mastered the basic swordsmanship, so that she can try to escape if she meets an enemy someday.

‘I’ve been here for quite a while.’

The seasons have already changed 12 times since he set foot in the villa of the Marquis Sorne family.

The mean and feisty little girl grew up to the point where she looks like quite a lady. The little girl, who used to smile like a naughty girl, can now smile maturely.

Adelia presented Demalo with two horses of good ancestry to celebrate Parents’ Day last year. Demalo shed tears of emotion at the first Parents’ Day gift he received in his life.

‘It’s parenting. I’ve been raising a child all this time.’

Demalo gave a proud smile. 

I can’t believe that rascal grew up like this.

“What have I done for you….”

Come to think of it, I actually didn’t do anything great enough to receive a gift to celebrate Parents’ Day.

All I did was stand beside the lonely little girl….

‘Well, maybe that’s what she needed the most.’

At some point, Demalo stopped hearing his daughter’s voice.

It was because his days were too busy taking care of the naughty little girl.

When the daughter’s death anniversary came, he just drank some alcohol to soothe his longing. 

Demalo closed his eyes and traced his memories full of great and small disturbance.

He thought he had nothing more to ask for in the future if it was the same as before.

It was one quiet night that the calm wind broke. He was on his way back to his room after putting the kid to sleep who still couldn’t sleep alone. Three shadows, who desperately suppressed their presence, chased after Demalo.

Demalo quickly noticed the sign. He turned and headed to an empty backyard.

“Come out.”

“…….”

Demalo said, with a short click of his tongue.

“Or should I go to you?”

Demalo quickly followed the assassin.

Perhaps they were quite skilled, the assassins responded calmly to the raid.

‘It’s 3 to 1. The longer I drag on, the more disadvantageous it become.’

He quickly subdued the assassins by reviving his senses in his prime. In the process, two killed and one bound for information. After a long time, the sword was bloodied, Demalo sighed and looked at the elusive assassin.

“Who sent you?”

“To restore the glory of the great Mokenia!”

Confusion spread over Demalo’s face when he heard the name Mokenia. Taking advantage of his confusion, the assassin bit his tongue and died.

It’s Mokenia.

It’s the name of his hometown that has now disappeared from the map due to the terrible epidemic.

‘…are there any survivors of the Mokenia royal family?’

Obviously, the whole royal family died because of the rebels.

“Tsk. What a bother.”

Actually, it was not strange for an assassin to visit Demalo anytime, considering his track record.

Rather, it was strange that the assassin only came now l.

Demalo raised his head with a bad feeling.

The cold wind brushed past him.

***

“I’m telling you; you look weird.”

Adelia said, gazing teasingly at Demalo’s face.

Demalo has never been told in his life that he is ugly life.

When he was wandering after losing his wife and daughter, the women he met countless times praised his appearance until the moment of separation.

Demalo replied, looking at Adelia with hurtful eyes.

“I guess you don’t know how popular I am… In my old days….”

“Oh, my!”

Adelia interrupted Demalo and covered her mouth with a shocked face.

“Why. What’s going on? Are you sick?

Demalo asked anxiously, wondering if there was something wrong with Adelia.

Adelia shook her head and muttered regretfully.

“Ha… what do you mean ‘in the old days’. The self-proclaimed world’s best-looking man now… Is now an uncle….”

“What…? Ah… that’s… Sigh!”

Demalo was dumbfounded, so he just laughed in vain.

Her playfulness will probably never go away.

Suddenly Demalo was worried because of the assassin who came to visit last night.

It has something to do with Mokenia, so they must have come for Demalo.

Demalo, who sighed, turned his head out of the window and asked.

“You’ll live well without me, won’t you?”

For a moment, Adelia’s face lost its smile.

Adelia asked stiffly.

“What does that mean? Demalo, did you forget? There is still a long way to go until the date specified in the contract. And I’ll hand over the new contract to Demalo before it expires. Demalo must sign it.”

Her voice was very firm. Demalo sighed quietly as she did not accept any rebuttal.

She wanted to be with this immature girl for as long as possible.

‘Will I be able to do that?’ 

***

As the days went by, Demalo’s nerves became sharp.

Naturally, there were more days when he quarreled with Adelia.

Adelia didn’t understand the sudden change of Demalo.

It was also frustrating.

He couldn’t tell Adelia that the assassin kept coming to kill him.

He knew she’d be worried if she found out.

The two fought over trifles and maintained a long Cold War. The atmosphere was always relieved by Demalo’s apology, but the two fought again soon after.

The repeated cold war also forced the villa’s servants to be nervous.

They wondered why the two, who had a relationship more than an employee and employer, suddenly fought like this.

“I’m going alone today.”

“But today we don’t have enough soldiers to escort you since a lot of them took some time off. Why don’t you take Mr. Demalo with you?”

“Butler. You were gossiping about me with the servants yesterday.”

The butler’s shoulders shrank noticeably. He didn’t even think his words would leak out.

Adelia threatened him with a fishy smile.

“You are not only speaking ill of your master, but also counterposing her decision? Aren’t you aiming for the position of head butler? No matter how dissatisfied my father is with me, I am still a Sorne.”

The butler had a sense of crisis. Adelia’s sharp voice made the butler’s head droop. 

‘You don’t even know how to protect an abandoned child and a villa.’

Adelia turned nervously and got into the carriage. In time the carriage quickly left the mansion.

Demalo watched the carriage leaving without a word from his room. His mind was complicated, having yet to make a decision.

He turned his head with a quick click of his tongue.

An unusual disturbance came to the mansion at midnight.

Adelia, who attended a tea party of her peers, was attacked by a mysterious group of masked men on her way home.

The masked men raved madly about the fallen kingdom of Mokenia.

Fortunately, Adelia was able to escape from the masked men and return to the mansion.

Upon hearing the news, Demalo ran to Adelia’s bedroom with a harsh swear word in his mouth.

“Damn it!”

I should have just followed them. No, what difference does it make if I followed them? The masked… No, the remnants of Mokenia will attack Adelia and I will only destroy them.

It won’t make any difference; she will still experience terrible things.

Emotions disappeared from Demalo’s face. He stared at Adelia’s bedroom door with an expressionless face.

Adelia’s voice was heard sobbing in his ear. Demalo’s face frowned terribly.

It’s time to make a decision.

knock, knock.

When Demalo knocked, the crying inside suddenly stopped. But permission to come in didn’t fall.

Demalo opened the door without hesitation and entered the room. Adelia called his name in a panicked voice.

“De, demalo! What are you doing? I don’t want you to come in–”

For a moment Adelia was speechless. Because Demalo knelt down before her. He was a man of great pride.

Although he bowed his head to the aristocrats, he did not bend his pride.

“De, demalo…?”

Adelia called him in a panicked voice.

“I’m sorry.”

Upon receiving an unexpected apology, the tears around Adelia’s eyes disappeared.

“It’s all my fault that you went through such a terrible thing.”

“What are you talking about? Did you suddenly go crazy? Is it because I don’t play with Demalo? What’s wrong with you all of a sudden….”

Adelia suddenly became afraid.

Demalo’s eyes were different from usual.

That was the first time she saw that expression. And Adelia didn’t know what that look meant.

“I’m not crazy. I’m leaving now, Adelia.”

Adelia’s pupils were shaken by the shocking remarks.

“Oh, what are you talking about? If you say anything strange….”

Adelia couldn’t threaten him, thinking she might not see his face again.

She thought it’s going to be like that.

Demalo noticed why she had muffled her words. He would normally laugh it off, but this time it was different.

Demalo’s mouth delivered a cruel farewell. He refused to explain his situation.

It’s his own problem, because if Adelia found out his situation, she would offer to help.

She was already overwhelmed by her own situation, so Demalo did not want to put a new burden on her who shed tears every day.

“Actually, I’ve always thought I should leave her.”

“Stop!”

Adelia screamed. Trying to cover Demalo’s mouth somehow.

But Demalo didn’t stop.

“I’m tired now. I don’t have any more mental strength left to take care of a selfish girl.”

He left a hurtful comment, wondering if Adelia would find him. A transparent stream of water flowed from Adelia’s eyes.

Demalo closed his eyes when he saw Adelia, who had been badly hurt as he intended.

“Do you have to tell me this now? Of all things, right now….”

“I can’t take your whining anymore.”

Demalo’s voice was cold.

Adelia hated the man in front of her for this moment. She was angry at the lack of consideration. At the same time, she hated herself.

Tears came to her eyes at the thought that it was her, not anyone else, who drove him this far.

“…I’m leaving right now.”

Demalo turned his back coldly.

Adelia warned Demalo in a cracked voice.

“If you go like this now, I’ll curse you forever!”

“That’s a shame.”

“If you go like this…! You’ll never see my face!”

Demalo’s movement to leave the room stopped for a moment. Adelia read Demalo’s hesitation in a moment and held hope for a moment.

However, the hope was shattered by the answer that came back soon.

“That’s exactly what I was hoping for.”

Demalo hoped Adelia wouldn’t go after him. As she could have been exposed to the remnants of Mokenia just by chasing him.

Demalo spoke his only true heart after a series of lies.