CH 25

“I’m telling the truth, Young Master. The Young Miss’ body… isn’t it different from the Young Master’s?”

The sweating family doctor explained to the Young Master, who was asking for the truth and telling him to not lie as he was staring at him.

“…Then, it’s really like that.”

“Yes.”

“You said that she caught a fever because of the rain?”

“Yes!”

Carl was shocked.

To think that she was sick.

In fact, that alone is surprising for Carl, who has never caught a cold while growing up.

‘She didn’t even get stabbed with a sword anywhere, and to say that she got sick just because the raindrops touched her skin…?!’

With still shocked eyes, Carl looked down at Beatty who was lying on the bed. 

‘Isn’t this too weak?’

Peacefully.

Her breathing sound from the fever heat seemed to be so small that without realizing it, he brought his hand to check her breath.

Seeing the feel of her small breath, it seems that she is breathing.

“Achoo!”

“!”

Carl’s shoulder flinched when Beatty sneezed in her sleep.

“Family Doctor!”

“Yes! Yes! You there, bring a bit more hot water and—”

At Carl’s command, which was full of energy without himself realizing it, people were busy moving.

“….”

After all the fuss of taking measures.

Even in the midst of the fuss, Carl looked down at Beatty who couldn’t open her eyes and was lying on bed in a fever.

“To think that this kind of weak thing is my little sister.”

To know that it’s a weakling who lost even from raindrops.

This kind of frailness was truly something he had never even heard and seen of.

‘Then it can’t be helped.’

Ssk.

Carl reached out his hand to Beatty, who was asleep.

Both cheeks have heated up and became red because her fever has not subsided yet. Her round eyes look infinitely thin.

Carl, who was looking at her eyes which were hidden by her serenely covered eyelids.

Tuk.

He put his hand on her sweaty little sister’s head.

“Next time, I’ll protect you.”

The words he uttered quietly resonated in the air without Beatty, who closed her eyes, hearing it.

***

“Achoo!”

Beatty was just sneezing because her nose was itchy.

“Gasp! Y-Young Miss!”

Suddenly, the faces of the people around her became contemplated and ran.

“Young Miss! By any chance, are you dizzy? Do you want to cough? Ah, should you blow your nose?”

“Please put more blankets around here. Hey! Add the firewood, make the fire stronger!”

“Herb water, herbal medicine, herbal tea… Cocoa to soothe your bitter mouth. It’s all ready!”

With the Young Miss sneezed once, it became a huge typhoon, putting the Duke’s Castle into an emergency.

“???”

Beatty looked around in confusion.

‘What, what is this?’

It was said that her fever was boiling last night, but for Beatty, who didn’t know anything when she lost consciousness, she just felt like she woke up from a good night’s sleep.

“Hoo. It’s a relief that Young Miss’ fever has gone down.”

“The Young Master looked so scary last night while accompanying the Young Miss….”

Brr.

The family doctor trembled, saying he thought he was summoned to the battlefield.

“Hm hm. Fortunately, the urgent symptoms have subsided, but the Young Miss still has to be careful until you fully recover.”

Being very scared of the Young Master, who had been watching silently with a sword all night, the family doctor pleaded again.

“Please warm up your body, take the medicine even though it’s bitter, and eat a lot even if the Young Miss doesn’t have any appetite….”

There were quite a lot of neverending rows of requests.

However, Beatty was grateful for his caring heart for her, so she listened attentively to the long words.

“Anyway, you have to absolutely rest. Absolutely rest!”

The family doctor also earnestly requested the people around.

“Young Miss, you must stay in bed if possible.”

‘It’s about that much.’

Thinking that it wasn’t difficult at all, Beatty nodded easily.

‘It’s only staying still, right?’

How simple it is.

In the first place, it was only recently that she could go out and walk around. Since before returning like this, she mostly lived being locked up.

That’s why, saying that there was nothing difficult at all, Beatty confidently gushed out her breath and promised to ‘stay still’.

***

“Yes?!”

However, overshadowing the previous resolution, something soon happened that made her couldn’t stay still.

“Fath— Did you just say that the Lord is coming back?”

“Yes! You’ve been waiting for a long time, right, Young Miss?”

“Hoo hoo. I thought you’d like it.”

The maids smiled happily at the surprised Beatty.

“Before, Young Miss had played a huge part in the recent incident, right?”

“Huh?”

“They said that they stuffed themselves with the Tuberosum that was sent that time, and everyone got their energy and defeated the bad guys!”

“Thanks to you, the war will end soon. It’s the first time in years that the Duke is coming back like this!”

“That’s right. In the meantime, he had to lead the military, so he couldn’t come….”

Chatter.

If she put the story that she heard together, fortunately, it seemed that the previously burned food supplies which were to be sent that were replaced with Tuberosum worked out well.

The Royal Army, which received supplies with ease, won another great victory against the enemy, and the end of the war was almost confirmed, so the return of the soldiers was close.

‘With this, ‘the first retreat’ certainly would vanish!’

After returning and reconfirming her first achievement, Beatty clenched her fist powerfully.

“Now I can see our youngest after a long time!”

“My house will serve up some food when my older sister comes back, so we’re already preparing the cooking.”

“I’m finally reuniting with him!”

The maids talked in a pleasant voice about what they would do when their relatives returned.

It was thanks to Beatty who changed the future where the war was extended.

History that has been twisted differently from the original.

To think about what she has done to stay in a safe place was also helpful for other people’s happiness.

‘Even though I didn’t expect this, I’m happy about it.’

The expressions of the people talking about the future were bright, so Beatty listened to their voices with a happy face.

***

“I can see the castle!”

“Oh! Oh! Aslan’s Main Castle! How long has this been!”

Knight, soldier, commander. Everyone shouted with joy.

“Finally, this long unpleasant expedition is over!”

It was their first return in five years.

It was an unprecedented long-term expedition these past few years, even in the North, where battles are routine.

A war against the Empire that began without any notice. The number of enemies that invaded the small kingdom union was enormous.

In order to overcome our forces’ numerical inferiority, both the ‘Golden Lion Duke’s’ commander and the Golden Lion Knights which were known as invincible warriors were needed.

Not only the head of the Aslan Family, but also the most outstanding vassals have been summoned.

Until they drove the powerful enemies out of the mountain range, they could not leave the battlefield.

Although the territory was empty for a long time, Duke Aslan eventually defended the kingdom against an enemy, which was no less than half of the continent, with just one army.

“Even though we almost didn’t make it at the end.”

“Ah, when the military supply warehouse was totally burnt down?”

“Now that I think about it, we can also see the Young Miss if we go to the castle.”

“To think she’s such a genius at such a young age, I’m curious about her face.”

The procession of soldiers entering the territory while talking about many things was clearly seen, even from the Duke’s Castle.

“It was said that the returned army has passed through the fortress gate!”

Upon hearing the good news, the Duke’s Castle was full of energy.

“Hurry up and meet them!”

“Ah, I want to quickly see them all!”

There was a warm breeze on the faces of those who expected to see them soon.

“….”

‘Damn it.’

Of course, among them, there was a person who quietly made an ugly look inside.

Except for Count Zealot, who was cold alone, most people’s faces had a look of leaning forward to the fullest.

Of course, it was those who have settled down for a long time in this area.

“Young Miss!”

Even on the girl’s face who listened to the noise outside, which was rare at the Duke’s Castle.

“The Lord has come!”

“!”

Beyond the expression of full tension, there were expectations that could not be hidden.

‘Finally!’

Beatty jumped up at the news which was delivered by the maid who came in with a wide smile.

Step. Step. Step.

Why did the stairs that she had always gone up and down with, felt so long when she followed the maid to meet him?

“Haa. Haa.”

Eventually, Beatty almost ran down the stairs and had to gasp for air when she arrived at the lobby.

“How many years ago was it when the Lord left?”

“Now it’s exactly 5 years. It’s a really long-time return.”

The spacious lobby was crowded with employees waiting in line to greet the Lord of the Duke’s Castle.

“Everyone quiet! Quiet! The Lord is coming in!”

The whispering sounds to each other gradually decreased at the sound of hooves outside as it soon got closer.

And finally.

Creak—

The door of the huge castle opened.

“Ah….”

Seeing the face of a person who confidently entered through the open door, Beatty let out a sigh-like exclamation.

A person who seems natural to stand in front of the group.

A man who wears the darkest golden color than anyone else like a crown, and has a clear predator’s eyes even at night.

Even though she had no memory of meeting him in person, Beatty could recognize him right away.

‘Father.’

As a child, the Aslan Family’s page, which was the same as the portrait of the noble almanac, was the only one that she saw until the corners were worn out.

With the impression as if was moving a lion, the man walked along while listening to the people’s greetings around him.

“Welcome, Your Excellency!”

“Welcome to the triumphant return!”

“Congratulations on the victory which ended the Great War! Your Excellency’s achievements will definitely go down in history… Your Excellency?”

He stood in front of Beatty, who was half the height of other people’s waist.

At that time, somehow Beatty.

‘My chest….’

Thump. Thump.

She felt like her heart was going to pop out, so she was bending down as if she had motion sickness.

“?”

With her head down like that, in Beatty’s eyes, black and large shoes could be seen.

‘Military shoes?’

As if to prove that he came running from the battlefield, it was military boots with traces of battle.

The foot stopped right in front of Beatty, who bowed her head.

“…?”

Beatty looked up at the person standing in front of her with trembling eyes.

With such eyes which had unknown meaning, her father was looking at her with a stiff expression.

He spoke in a low voice.

“Why is this kid here?”

Thump!

Beatty seemed to hear the sound of something falling heavily inside her heart.