CH 63

“This is our current location…. After we reach Cloud Castle and rest and replenish our supplies for two days, we’re going to take a detour around this mountain here and cross the river. It’s not on the map, but there’s a small village here, so we’ll be able to rest in the village once more before crossing the river.”

“But I was wondering before, wouldn’t it be faster to go across this mountain? Are you taking a detour around the mountains because you have a carriage?”

“Yeah, It’s also because of carriages, but this is the time of year when Hiyela’s Sigh Is dangerous, and the knights who guard the castle gates don’t go out at this time of year because they don’t know when an avalanche will occur.

“Hiyela’s Sigh…..That’s what you call the strong winds that blow from the Hiyela Mountains in winter, right?”

“Yes. Many northern natives freeze to death this time of year. You must be careful, and careful again, Nell.”

Having said that, Leonhard brought a thick fur cloak from somewhere and wrapped it around my shoulders as if I had already entered Ajas’ territory. 

Then a fur hat and fur gloves.

‘Do you want to turn me into a furry person?’ 

It was uncomfortable to eat, so I took off only the fur gloves from my hands. 

And while receiving and eating the meat that Leonhard cut, I suddenly became curious and asked again.

“I heard that Hiyela is the name of an ice dragon that originally settled in that mountain range, is that correct?”

“you’re right.”

“Really? I don’t think it’s real.”

“There are records of it in Ajas Castle. As for the authenticity of the record, there is a difference of opinion among the Wizard.….but I believe it to be real.”

“Why, do you have a reason?” 

“There is no particular reason but….”

“But?”

Looking at his face, it seems that there is a reason.

I poked the hesitant Leonhard in the side to reveal the reason. That’s why I couldn’t have imagined it.

“I just wanted to see it…” 

“What?”

“The first Ajas tamed a dragon and rode it across the battlefield. I used to dream of being a flying knight….,when I was a kid.”

“Oh, my god.”

Didn’t this guy have a cuter side than I thought?

As if he knew that I was thinking that, Leonhard’s ears turned red.

Focusing on slicing the meat for no reason, he sliced up that large chunk of meat in an instant, then jumped up from his seat to bring wine.

I secretly giggled, thinking it was cute that he was in such a hurry.

‘Hmm, it’s a dragon. I’d love to see one, but….they must be extinct after all, because there were no dragons in the books.’

“What makes you so happy, Marquess?” 

“Ah, Robert.”

While I was waiting for Leonhard and eating the meat he had cut for me, Robert brought over a large bone-in meat and sat down next to me.

At the bonfire over there, the knights and the wizards were battling for the boar’s leg, and they must have had a lot of skill because they managed to snag one of the four legs.

I was staring at it in admiration, but Robert, perhaps misunderstanding my gaze, secretly covered the boar’s leg with his body.

“Hmm. Even if you look at it like that, I can’t give you this. If you take away the poor aide’s dinner, I’m sure you didn’t sleep well, right?”

“Yeah, I’m tired these days, so I don’t sleep well.” 

“Oh, it looks like the coachman drove the carriage rough. I’ll go quickly and give him a scolding and come back.”

I could tell he was expecting me to ask for meat because he lifted his butt from his seat.

I waved my hand at him to sit down.

“Hmm, but before that, I need to talk to you about our move tomorrow.” 

“Tomorrow? I already heard from Leon about staying at Cloud Castle.”

“Well, the cloud castle, I mean….do you know the Auld Bridge?”

“I know, it’s a huge bridge over Anild Gorge.”

There was a legend that the Anild Gorge, also called the Scar of the Continent, was a remnant of a war caused by the gods when they were still living on this land in the distant past.

An ax struck by God had cut deep into the earth.

Anyway, it was said that the gorge, which began on the ashen plains to the west and cut deep into the east, was so terrifyingly deep that you couldn’t see down into it.

Even with magic, they said, it would take a day to get down. If you fall in unprepared, not even a corpse will be found. 

“I heard that we must cross that bridge to enter the Ajas.”

“Yes, and there are many who have sinned against the Empire who attempted to cross the Auld Bridge to escape their punishment, and we have strict checks at the Auld Gate before the Auld Bridge to weed them out.”

“Oh, I’ve heard of it. Those who violated the imperial law are fleeing to the Ajas.”

“yes. Because of that, Anild Gateway is the place where the largest number of troops were deployed after Hiyela Gateway and Ajas Castle in the Ajas. We are putting so much effort into security, but there are many violent criminals, so please don’t get out of the carriage or open the window when passing through the Anild Gate.”

“hmm, I understand. I will.”

“Thank you for your understanding. In return, we’ll give you this grilled hind leg of a wild boar that’s marinated in wine to remove any unwanted odors, seasoned with whole pepper and natural salt to remove the fat, crispy on the outside, and moist on the inside.”

“It’s okay. I ate a lot too.”

When I showed him the plate that still had meat left because Leonhard had already cut a lot of it, Robert asked me to eat just one piece then.

“Actually, I brought it because I said I would give it to the Marquess. and if you don’t eat it, I’m in trouble. I have to give it back, this one.”

“Aha…..you are in trouble if I don’t eat it?”

“Please help me.”

The glances glancing at me from the other side seemed to be actually monitoring whether Robert was giving meat to me or not.

For some reason, I couldn’t hold back my laughter. 

“Okay. Then I’ll just eat one piece.”

“You probably don’t know how honored I am to have such a benevolent person as my hostess, Marquess.”

“My wife doesn’t need to know your heart, Robert.” 

Then a ghastly voice came out and broke in between me and Robert. When he looked up, Leonhard, with a disapproving face, held a bottle of wine in his left hand and two wine glasses in his other hand. 

“Hahaha, of course, of course. Rather, you were away to get wine.  Shall I warm you up?”

“It’s okay, why don’t you get out of the way?”

“Yep. I’ll be off.”

Then Robert cut off a chunk of thick meat from the back leg of the boar, set it down on my plate, and hurried away.

After staring at the back for a while, Leonhard sat down on the seat where Robert was sitting and stared at my plate. His eyes were fixed on the meat Robert had given me.

‘Well, that’s worth it.’ 

The outside of the wild boar meat, which is still steaming, is golden brown and crispy brown. The inner cut was ripe.

Instead of losing all the fat, the fat between the flesh glides transparently and makes your mouth water.

As expected, knowing the taste is the scariest. I held out my plate to Leonhard.

“Please eat.”

“yes?”

“They marinate it in wine to remove the nasty smell, season it with whole pepper and salt,…Oh, they drained all the fat. It will be delicious.”

“I didn’t stare at it because I wanted to eat it.….No, ma’am, you can have it. I am okay.”

“no. I’m full. Oh no. Wait a minute.” 

I put the plate down on the table, grabbed Leonhard’s fork and knife, and cut the meat into bite-sized pieces.

“Please eat. ah.”

“That…..I’ll eat it, Nell.” 

“Hurry up, my arm hurts.”

As I waved my arm for no reason and complained of pain, Leonhard, who hesitated a little, lowered his eyes and opened his mouth with his eyes fixed on the meat.

I wanted to make fun of the redness of his cheeks, but I couldn’t because I felt that the other knights and wizards were watching me. 

So I quickly put the meat in Leonhard’s mouth.

“How is it? Is it delicious?”

“Yes. Delicious.”

Is it my illusion that even the blue eyes under the long eyelashes seem to be stained with embarrassing redness?

‘It’s worth teasing.’ 

At this moment, I felt like I knew my taste that I didn’t know. 

A man I can wield rather than a man who leads me and wields me because he is so skilled.

‘As expected, it’s the best to date with him!’ 

Of course, we’re only married, I can’t say we’re in a relationship… Well, someday it will!

“Okay, have another one. ah.” 

“ah.”

Oh, and eat well.

Thinking that it was good to see that he ate well, I diligently sliced the meat and put it in Leonhard’s mouth. 

Leonhard must have been slicing meat for me all this time for fun, I thought.

* * * 

“Wow, we are going to see a lot of weirdness in our life.” 

“Be quiet, they can hear you.”

“This is a betrayal. Even if everyone else changes, I thought our Captain wouldn’t change…!”

“Well, I certainly didn’t expect it to give off such a soft atmosphere.”

Mumbling over the well-roasted boar’s head, Zenut looked over the bonfire, where no one approached as if a barrier had been set up.

Raenel, who was sitting in front of the simple table, was diligently slicing the meat with the knife in her hand. But the boar’s meat was too tough to cut well.

Seeing that, Leonhard gestured for her to hand him the knife, but Raenell shook her head and glared at Leonhard. 

Then the big man’s shoulders drooped as if he’d been warned.

When his sword breaks while fighting a monster, he is the man who rips off the skin of an ironclad with his bare hands and breaks the bones into pieces.

The owner of the Ajas who never backs down until he stops breathing while shining blue eyes even with acid poison that melts green and rocks.

“Now, ah.”

“…..ah.”

Seeing that he was obediently opening his mouth to receive the meat as he was told to do, Zenut’s shoulders and forearms suddenly tensed.