Chapter 12

11-14 minutes 26.06.2022

The Duke pressed her lips on Big Bear’s lips.

She wrapped her arms around the neck of Big Bear and pulled hard. 

It was as if she was trying to imprint her existence on him. 

‘Right. The two of them are married…’

As I already knew why the two were doing that, I was a little ashamed to stay and watch. Quickly, I redirected my Detection Magic the other way. 

I saw the Little Bear just a few steps away.

His arms were crossed and he looked like he was thinking, “So Mother and Father are doing that again.”

‘So they do that a lot… Well, it’s good that they’re on good terms.’

It was something new and mysterious to me. I had never seen such a good relationship before. 

‘But… Is that really a kiss?’

The Duke and Big Bear together were stronger than me so I couldn’t see well, but I didn’t think they were just kissing. 

‘How curious. Oh, Big Bear’s hand!’

The Big Bear stroked the Duke’s back and waist with his hands. He then took the initiative to hold the Duke’s hand. 

The Duke rubbed the Big Bear’s hand with her thumb for a moment before clasping his fingers firmly. 

My heart thumped at the sight. 

‘I feel like I’ve looked at something I shouldn’t have seen.’

Finally, the Big Bear and the Duke’s lips separated. 

The Duke cleared her throat with a cough and said, “Stand up.”

Everyone clearly saw the two of them just did, but they weren’t particularly surprised. Like the Little Bear, everyone harbored looks as if they were used to it. 

“Everyone did a great job. General, report the situation and stabilize the troops. I’ll give you half an hour.”

“Understood!”

After the Duke gave her orders, everyone began to move quickly.

“Juliano.”

The Duke let go of the Big Bear’s hand and hugged her son tightly. 

The Little Bear faced his mother and released the Illusion Magic. It was only then that the people recognized that the man who wielded the double-handed sword was the Duke’s son. 

The Duchy’s Young Master. 

“Mother.”

The Little Bear grinned, and the Duke patted the Little Bear on the shoulder several times. At first glance, it was but a normal pat on the back, but there was deep affection between family in each movement. 

Tant went back inside the fortress and shouted, “All the monsters have been defeated! The Lord, Count, and Young Master are here. Come out and pay your respects!” 

But…

‘What’s wrong with me?’

My heart started beating faster and my whole body stopped in place, frozen. 

It was a little hard to breathe. 

‘Oh, it’s because I’m nervous.’

Now that the Duke was here, I could be kicked out at any moment. If I look at her and she takes it the wrong way…

‘I want to be with the two bears!’

I had to look good. 

I was a little nervous and ran out of the fortress. 

However, before I could reach for the Little Bear came to the entrance and hugged me. 

“It was cool earlier.”

“Earlier?”

“Yes. Cutting the Harpy’s wrist- Hyuk!”

I realized my mistake mid-sentence. 

The Little Bear squinted at me. 

“You used Detection Magic didn’t you?”

I turned my eyes to the other side and looked behind Little Bear. 

The sun was setting. 

The world was filled with the intense golden red of the sun that was disappearing beyond. 

The people’s hair and eyes were all different colors, but they were now all dyed by the color of the sunset. 

However, some people did not lose their colors but instead shone brighter. 

Big Bear. Little Bear. The Duke. 

The Little Bear had black hair and golden eyes. Features that were exclusive to the lineage of the Duke of Leocardia. The Duke was the same, but the colors were much deeper than the Little Bear’s. 

Her black hair that was tied together and fell down to her waist was dark without a single hint of light.

However, it didn’t look evil at all. 

It was powerful and black like it could and would conquer all colors. 

The Duke’s eyes were shining as brightly as her hair. 

If the Little Bear’s eyes could be described as yellow-gold, the Duke’s was shining gold itself. 

Mysterious and more beautiful than any other jewel in the world. 

‘So that’s why their family crest is a black leopard with golden eyes. But…’

The day was still ripe and there was much more to come. 

The Duke was tall and slim, with thin arms and legs. However, her whole body was full of fine muscles, as powerful and intense as the color of her hair and eyes. 

A person who, just by existing, could control her surroundings. 

Something suddenly came to mind. 

–It’s an honor to fight by your side, Sir!

Seventeen years ago, monsters infested the human territories with the appearance of the Demon Lord. The shadow of destruction hovered above mankind and continued to deepen, but many people did not give up and tried to fight. 

Their greatest hope was me. 

The Warrior.

All the people who gathered next to me admired me, and the most passionate of them all was a female magician named Lisa. 

Lisa was a wielder of the two-handed sword. It was strong but too rough. Her technique was lacking. 

So there were times when I corrected her movements slightly. 

I couldn’t speak, so I acted, and Lisa’s eyes only grew hotter when she looked at me. 

–”Thank you, Warrior! I respect you so much!”

Lisa followed me ever since. 

She taught me thermal magic and also told me about other topics that I didn’t know about. For example, the relationship between the Emperor and the Cardinal. 

It was only natural that the two Holy Knights, the watchdogs, were wary of Lisa. 

They desperately blocked everyone who approached me. Afraid that I’d notice the truth that I was just a tool. 

‘It must have all been the Cardinal’s orders.’

However, I didn’t know it at that time. 

Hearing constant urges from the two that one more monster could be killed if I didn’t hang out with others, I deliberately distanced myself from Lisa. But after getting rid of the devil, I wanted to take time to meet her and get closer. 

But before I could do that, I died. 

‘So she was alive! I was afraid she was killed by the Cardinal!’

It was such a relief. 

‘I can’t believe she’s become so strong and cool!’

Lisa in my previous life was not as powerful as the Duke now. Her present ability showcased the result of constant hard work over the past 16 years. 

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‘However, her eyes were surely a different color.’

At that time, it was not golden, but black like her hair. 

It seems that she used an artifact to hide the color of her eyes to hide that she was a direct descendant of Leocardia. 

I didn’t notice at that time because I wasn’t in a situation where I could look properly. 

‘Wow…! Lisa is the Duke?’

The urge to run right away and ask in detail how she had been, washed over me. 

Of course, I couldn’t. 

‘I have to pretend I don’t know.’

No one should know that the former Warrior has been reborn. 

Clearly, Lisa was not under the Cardinal’s common, but she was more respectful to me than anyone else at the time. According to what the Little Bear said in the carriage, Lisa seemed to have figured out how miserable I was in my previous life. 

‘I’m sure you felt sorry for me as The Warrior.’

However, it was all in the past. Lisa was now the Duke. 

A person who was responsible for a lot of things. 

‘If she finds out who I am, she can use me.’

In the worst-case scenario, she could sell me to the Pope. It was only right for me to be wary. 

I didn’t think she would do so, but I had to wait and see first if she was connected to the Pope’s men and gather information. After all, Lisa was well aware of my past situation and history. 

‘But I don’t know if it’s possible.’

I didn’t think it would be easy, because I was so young now. 

‘Let’s stop thinking for now.’

After making up my mind, I patted the Little Bear on the shoulder. 

“Put me down.”

The Little Bear seemed disappointed, but as I said, he put me on the floor.

I bobbed along and stood in front of the Duke. 

“Hello!”

I bowed with my hands in front of my navel. 

“My name is Dia! Please take good care of me!”

I slowly lifted my upper body and stared at the Duke. 

The Duke was holding hands with Big Bear. 

‘How strange…’

Most people who had seen me after I left with the two bears had always responded positively. 

Like Tant, who thought I was very cute and laughed loudly. 

But the Duke did not. 

Her face turned pale as if all her blood had been drained in an instant. Her lips began to tremble and the intense light in her golden eyes shook. 

It was as if she was reminded of a terrible memory. 

‘Why?’

It was beyond comprehension. 

“…Love”

The Big bear whispered the Duke’s pet name in a low voice, strengthening his hold on her hand. Only then did the light return to the Duke’s eyes. With her face still pale, she opened her mouth. 

“…Yes. Welcome… Dia.”

It was a voice and expression filled with unwelcomeness. 

My heart ached. 

It felt like I was being pricked by a thorn that popped out unexpectedly. 

My heart which had been filled with nothing but joy and expectation was suddenly pierced. 

I bowed my head, curling up my shoulders. Strangely enough, my eyes were watering. 

‘…What’s wrong with me?’

It was wrong to say that I was shocked by the Duke, I was more sad than anything. 

‘Is it because she’s different from the Lisa I knew?’

It seemed like that was why, but it also seemed like it wasn’t.

All I knew was that my heart was aching. 

I knew if I stayed like this, tears would soon spill from my eyes. 

‘What the hell is wrong with you Dia!’

“Mother…?”

I felt that the Little Bear was a little embarrassed. He seemed quite surprised by the Duke’s response. 

The Big Bear then said with a worried face, “Juliano, take a carriage with Dia and head for the Duchy. It shouldn’t be dangerous right now.”

“Yes.”

The Little Bear picked me up in a hurry and took me to the carriage, put me in the inner seat, and said affectionately, “I want to stay with you but I have to drive the carriage. Bear with staying apart for a while until we get to the Duchy.”

“…don’t want”

“What?”

“Right now, I don’t want to be alone.”

The Little Bear blinked in surprise and then smiled at me. 

“Yes, let’s stay in the horse seat together.”

The Little Bear picked me up again, went to the horse seat, and had me sit next to him. 

He fastened the belt to the seat firmly before driving the carriage. 

I cuddled next to the Little Bear. 

I needed this kind of warmth. 

‘Why is it so cold?’

My outfit was very thick and Little Bear was operating the carriage well, so there was little wind. It wasn’t cold at all yet I felt like a winter breeze was blowing through my mind. 

‘Why does the Duke hate me?’

Of course, she didn’t know I was the warrior Debota. Then there must be another reason. 

‘Not everyone will like me.’

I knew so, but the Duke’s response was incomprehensible. 

It was heartbreaking, disappointing, and incredibly sad. 

I let out a long sigh. 

“…Dia.”

The fast-moving carriage was catching the wind. 

It would be difficult to have a conversation in a normal situation, but I could hear the words clearly because of the spell cast by the Little Bear. 

“Yes.”

“I never imagined that my mother would react like that… But, uh, I have a guess. You asked me before. Do I have any siblings besides my sister? Do you remember?” 

“Yes, I remember.”

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“Actually… There was one more sibling aside from me and my sister. 

I immediately noticed it. 

The Little Bear’s words were in the past tense. 

“I had a younger sibling… But she went to the sky when I was very young. Mother… Mother must have thought of her.”

I remembered.