Chapter 43

Chapter 43

“It seems like it’s going well between you and His Excellency.”

“No. The Lord and I… There’s nothing…”

“That again. It can’t be nothing. If there’s really nothing between you, then he wouldn’t be so nice. They say you eat together at the castle. And sleep together.”

Tessa suddenly blushed when she heard that he was sleeping with her. As Janet said, for the past few days, Tessa and Hert have been sharing the same bed. Because Hert naturally came to her room and hugged her and fell asleep.

Because of this, Tessa often couldn’t sleep because of the man’s hot, hard chest that she felt behind her back. Because she suddenly did not know Hert’s intentions by starting to sleep with her.

“That…”

“Can I wait for the good news soon?”

“No, that…”

Tessa asked quietly at Janet, who smiled like a playful shepherd boy.

“But, Janet. Why am I… Do you think I will get along with the lord? The lord can hold another woman at any time… It’s just—”

“It’s not going to happen.”

“What?”

Tessa lifted her crouched head in response to the very resolute reply. When their eyes met, Janet hurriedly excused herself.

“Oh, it’s just a feeling. And you’re a charming person, Tessa. If I had been a man, I would have adored you.”

At Janet’s words, Tessa looked at the teacup. Lies. There’s no way he could love a traitor. That… Because it’s really stupid.

“…….”

“Tessa…?”

Despite Janet’s call, Tessa was silent for a long time.

Her heart was pounding and her voice was not coming out.

* * *

When Hert arrived at the outskirts of Jutert’s estate, he couldn’t shake the thought that he had returned to the atmosphere of the village.

After leaving the detailed investigation to his subordinates, he climbed the highest observation deck in the village and looked around the village as a whole. It was a quiet town. It was also a small town with nothing special about it.

Hert quietly looked at the ridge beyond the setting sun. It took him more time than expected. At this rate, it will be night when he’d return to the castle. He didn’t say he would be late, but it’ll be fine. He muttered to himself unknowingly.

‘Haa, damn it…’

Although the investigation has been narrowed down over the last several days, it’s still not easy to find the insider traitor who supposedly helped the Young Marquis escape.

So it was even stranger. The Young Marquis and the traitor were just like ghosts. Such neat work was not common. Thanks to that, he thought it was like a well-crafted puzzle aimed at him.

Hert looked down at the whole village and narrowed his brow. Then he saw the villagers going about normally as they would in the evening, and he stood there for a long time and looked down at the hamlet. He felt strange that there was a time when he wanted such an ordinary life.

As time passed and even the sky became dark, a movement appeared from behind.

“It’s Mogen Bosch, sir, and here’s my report. Confirmation of the villagers has been completed. There was nothing special or suspicious. What are your next orders?”

“…Could it be a lie?”

“It doesn’t appear to be.”

“I’ll be right back.”

Without hesitation, Hert turned his back and started going down the observation deck.

He hated to admit it, but by this point, it was safe to say that the Young Marquis had already left the domain. But in what way? Few were able to run away without a trace like this. It was clear that there was an escape expert next to the marquis. And in general, such escape experts are usually…

Hert, who came down, was trying to get on the horse, but found something and stopped. Mogen, who was following him, asked.

“Is something the matter?”

“Hey, do you have any money?”

Hert looked back at Mogen and asked.

“There is, but…”

“Give it to me.”

“…….”

Hert extorted money from Mogen and approached a street vendor. What the merchant was selling were small, colorful sweets. It is a traditional snack of the Messieaux Kingdom, and it was a snack that was often seen in the streets. It was also something that caught his attention earlier.

“Give me everything you’re selling.”

Throwing the gold coin to the merchant, Hert bought all the sweets on the stand. The merchant smiled and took the gold coin.

Hert thought for a moment as he watched the merchants diligently packing the sweets.

‘I hope you like it.’

In fact, Hert didn’t like sweets very much. Rather, it was Tessa who liked sweet treats. All these sweets the merchant was selling were also Tessa’s favorites.

‘Her, how great would it be if I could eat snacks all day long?’

‘What?’

‘One is just too sad! When I become an adult later, I will eat a lot of snacks.’

Since their days at the orphanage, Tessa has been unable to eat sweets. She said it was her dream, which he heard shortly after they met, to live in a house made of sweets.

So, Hert sometimes gave Tessa a snack that was his share. It was good to see Tessa eating deliciously.

‘She’s still very skinny. I have to keep feeding her.’

Hert thought of Tessa’s body as she was exposed to bones. Every night he slept with her in his arms, he was very concerned about her slender body.

This time, Hert intended for her to gain weight as much as possible. That way, she won’t pass out easily. Her face will be brighter than it is now.

Then she may not say that she was going to die.

‘…….’

In the documents posted by the non-commissioned officer Lange, there was a detailed report on how Tessa had been treated within the territory for the past seven years.

When Hert first saw it he denied the truth behind Tessa’s past. But after seeing the scars on her back, he had no choice but to believe it. Those wounds were the marks of being beaten by others. Self-harm could never inflict such scars.

‘If you were sold and became a noble lady, you should be living well…’

After he gave up on this denial, Hert grew furious. The traitor who sold her was actually severely abused over a long period of time. He didn’t like it, it was ridiculous. And it was driving him crazy.

So he had no choice but to go to Lange and ask again. Are the things listed in this document correct?

Lange said it was. Another wife who was with her also spoke with him. No, she told Hert very precisely and in detail about Tessa’s situation.

She spoke of how badly the Young Marquis Jutert had tormented her.

‘So thank you, Your Excellency. You saved her. You saved Tessa from that abuse.’

After that, his recollection faded. Hert suddenly entered the room with Tessa, and he was stroking her cheek as she slept. And there he heard Tessa say sorry to him.

Hert had a tingling in his throat again and didn’t say anything.

‘Why are you…’

He couldn’t speak.

Hert made sure that Tessa was asleep again and quietly left the room. And he sent a letter to Marquis Borwen. There must have been something the damn woman didn’t tell him.

Of course, just because Tessa had been abused for seven years didn’t mean Hert forgave her. It was true that she sold him, and for the past seven years she had suffered enough to die just like her, too.

It was just… A little consideration. He wants her to live.

Hert returned to Mogen’s place with the sweets the merchant had packed. Mogen made a strange expression as he looked at the appearance of his superior who kept sweets in his arms.

“What are you doing? Let’s go.”

Hert mounted his horse. At that, his men and soldiers also rode on their respective horses.

* * *

“He’s late today.”

Mani said as she combed Tessa’s hair. She knew who Mani was referring to. Tessa looked out the window without saying a word. The sky was pitch black outside. Hert, who left in the morning, did not return until late in the evening. It was now midnight. It was natural for her to be worried.

After brushing her hair with the balm and tidying her hair, Mani put the comb into a drawer and added her words.

“Don’t worry too much. He will be back soon.”

“…Yes.”

Because Hert was strong. Tessa groaned inside, as if to comfort herself. Hert was a strong man. So he came back alive from the many deaths and hell, and he reappeared before her. So today, he would arrive safely and appear in front of her. He was just late today.

“Just lie down. You must have been very tired from Mrs. Bellodem’s torments all day.”

“…Um, Mani.”

“Yes, why?”

“…Mani, it’s, ah, nothing.”

As Tessa lay on the bed, Mani backed away leaving the minimal light behind. Thanks to that, Tessa was the only one in the room with the soft candles flickering.

It felt strange to be alone in this spacious bed after sharing a bed with Hert for the past few days.

‘If Hert can just return quickly…’

The dark night was becoming the most awaited time of the day for Tessa. It was the time when she’d fall asleep with Hert.

In fact, Tessa was busy thinking about Hert all day. The actions he was showing to her and the circumstances that resulted from it. Everything about it was perfect for her to misunderstand, which made Tessa chew on Hert’s actions and words no matter what he did.

No matter how many times she thought to not do it, after a while she was blank and she was busy thinking about Hert and misunderstanding.

What if he really had feelings for her?

But wasn’t that absurd?

Hert could just be doing it simply out of sympathy for her. It had been a while since Hert had noticed the scars on her back. She actually had no way to keep hiding it. Now they use one bed every night, how much longer could she have hidden it?