Chapter 98

Chapter 98

Tessa seemed a little overwhelmed by the rough kiss, but she didn’t push Hert away. Rather, she stretched out her arms and wrapped them around Hert’s neck. A muffled sound of moist saliva and breathing echoed throughout the room. After that long kiss, the two of them were silent and only exhaled.

Hert murmured as he ran his fingertips over Tessa’s soft lips that were glistening with saliva.

“Ha… You always drive me crazy.”

“…….”

“That’s why I like you. It would be nice if your heart was the same as mine.”

Hearing that, Tessa felt a throb on one side of her chest. This time, she wanted to tell Hert that she likes him too, not just a nod or a short answer. She wanted to be honest about her true feelings more than ever.

‘Her, I like you too… I want to be with you. My heart is the same as your heart.’

But… Was it really okay to do so?

Tessa was so afraid that her greed would make Hert more unhappy again. What if her choice brings about a bad situation again? And what if, by chance, when she said everything like this and then a situation arises where he can’t come back to her?

She wasn’t confident she could handle them.

Tessa tried to smile broadly at Hert instead of answering. Hert kissed her on the cheek as if he was content with it.

“Yes, what’s the point if you’re always by my side. I’ve known about it since long ago. You can’t get everything you want.”

“Her…”

“I’ll be off. Sleep more.”

Hert straightened up and put the gauntlet back on his hand. Tessa wanted to hold him back, but she couldn’t bear to say anything, so she said something else.

“I don’t think I can sleep…”

“I’ll ask the maid to bring you a good sleep tea. Drink it and go to sleep.”

“Can I… send you off?”

“No. Where are you going with that body? Stay quiet here.”

Hert kissed Tessa on the forehead once more and turned away. Tessa stretched out her hand to grab hold of Hert, but she soon lacked the courage and quickly withdrew her hand again.

“Her, Her…!”

Instead, she called him over. Hert, who was opening the door, turned to Tessa.

“…Thank you.”

.

.

.

In the end, Tessa had no choice. She couldn’t see Hert off because she couldn’t leave the room. Tessa just stared at the spot for a long time after he disappeared out the door, saying he would be back soon.

“Madam, I can see His Excellency through the window. Would you like to come and see?”

After a while, Mani, who brought the tea, looked out the window. Tessa approached the window and soon saw Hert riding on his horse in the distance, cloak fluttering behind him.

Hert, who looked back, saw Tessa and waved briefly at her, and then started his horse. Quite a few knights and soldiers followed him.

“Madam, His Excellency will be fine.”

“Yes, I hope so…”

With Mani’s words, Tessa stared at Hert, who was getting farther and farther away.

May nothing happen to him. Let him return safely.

Due to the strong wind, the tent erected on the field fluttered and made a loud noise. In the largest tent among them, two men were conversing.

“Are you sure you can recapture the castle enough if you follow the strategy?”

Ferdale unknowingly gnawed on his nails on the outer wall of the estate in the distance. It should be fine. No, even though it would be fine, he couldn’t understand why he was so anxious. As expected, was it because their opponent is the Marquis’ mad dog, Hert Shine?

He was well aware that Hert was a formidable opponent. Wasn’t that why he prepared so many troops?

“Young Marquis, don’t be so anxious. If you show restlessness, the soldiers’ morale will drop.”

Another man, noticing Ferdale’s anxiety, opened his mouth as if scolding him severely. It seemed that Ferdale, who couldn’t calm down, was annoying him.

“I, I know that, but…”

“How many times have I told you? The Jutert residence is a castle built on fertile plains. That means they can be attacked from any direction, so once they start to defend the castle, it’s no different than walking down the road to hell. As long as they don’t defend the castle with more numbers, everything is bound for hell. In recapturing the castle, the only problem is time.”

“Ah, yes. I’m well aware of that.”

He has learned it, and he has experienced it himself.

Ferdale knew the characteristics of the Jutert castle, where he was born and raised, in his own way. The Jutert castle was a place where the power of the founding family was revealed. To defend the territory, the strategic value of the castle was almost nothing.

Since he would later become the lord, he was taught by his vassals over and over again. But while he was learning, he was not convinced of the necessity. He wondered if anyone would dare to attack this historic Jutert estate. More than the location of the land, the power of the Jutert family was in protecting their fortress.

However, there was someone who ignored and attacked the Jutert family’s political influence.

That madman.

When Hert Shine, called the mad dog of the Marquis, decided and began to attack, the historic Jutert estate and castle fell without a chance to use his hands.

That’s why Ferdale, the heir of the Jutert family, came all this way to get his family and land back.

“Then you know very well that it is impossible for even the Marquis’s mad dog to endure for a long time. In a situation like this, he has one of two options. Either abandon the castle and run away, or die. Above all, if there were certain hostages, wouldn’t he be more willing to negotiate with us?”

Ferdale nodded his head. That’s true too… The question was whether he would move according to their plans.

‘That bastard must fall into a trap.’

After Hert led his soldiers to the outer wall, everyone continued to thread on thin ice around the castle. The servants all kept quiet, but deep inside, they were anxious and worried. The occasional trembling eyes and deep sighs seemed to represent their true feelings.

It had not been half a year since the castle had been captured and the lord had changed, but the castle had changed a lot in that short time. As the new lord ascended to the highest position, all those who had been rooting and working next to the owner’s family for generations were kicked out, and new faces took their place.

In other words, it was still unstable.

Most of all, rumors were spreading that Young Marquis Jutert, who had disappeared under these circumstances, had returned alive and had come with an army. It’s only natural that many people were helplessly agitated. After all, Ferdale was the rightful heir to the Jutert Marquisate and was the original master of this place.

Because of this, everyone was nervous about what would happen in the future.

“What the hell is going on…”

“And this rate we…”

Mani put the food on a tray and came out of the kitchen, pretending not to notice the blatant stares directed at her. She had been caught stealing the Madam’s jewelry, yet instead of getting punished, she was allowed to serve Tessa once more.

But Mani understood those around her. Because she knew better than anyone else that she was receiving special treatment, different from ordinary employees. Moreover, now was a sensitive time when even the slightest mistake would immediately draw attention.

Rather than worrying about everyone’s stares, she decided to focus on what she had to do.

‘The Madam should eat well today.’

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