CH 39

His eyes widened wide.

“But… ”

Yuta said in a cracked voice.

“Isabella is scared of me.”

The boy’s tone was confident.

Instinctively, I felt that I shouldn’t lie here.

“That’s right, I’m scared.”

At my words, a shadow fell in Yuta’s eyes.

“Ah… ”

Yuta let out a sigh and dropped his head.

That boy tried to get his hand away from me.

I gave him the strength to keep his hand off.

When Yuta looked at me again, puzzled, I said.

“But as much as that, I’m thankful.”

Hoping that my sincerity will be conveyed, I put my heart into each syllable.

“If it wasn’t for the Duke, I would have gone to Lodgemund and stuck there, and if it wasn’t for the Young Lord today, I would have been beaten by Heiner and my face would have been swollen.”

Yuta’s hands trembled.

“The Young Lord fought for me, right?”

I wrapped both of my hands around Yuta’s hand, hoping that his trembling would calm down a bit.

“The method was a little wrong, but isn’t the fact that you fought for me important?”

“But Father…”

The topic of Kellerhan came out of Yuta’s mouth almost reflexively.

I let out a small sigh.

“The Duke will never forgive you for breaking Heiner’s two ribs, no matter what the reason is.”

Because Kellerhan is such a person.

I can’t complain.

Because Kellerhan is that kind of person, he can protect me and Yuta, and he can lead this family.

But…

“But I forgive you.”

That’s a presumptous remark.

All I can say is I forgive what happened between Yuta and Heiner.

But it was what Yuta needed right now, and the boy wanted it so much that I couldn’t help but say that I forgave him.

Yuta stared blankly at me.

It happened suddenly.

“Uh… Hicc.”

Utah lowered his head and placed his forehead in my hand, then began to shook and let out a suppressed sob.

“Young Lord? Young Lord!”

I was startled and grabbed Yuta’s shoulders, trying to raise his upper body.

However, Yuta shook his head and stubbornly continued to press his forehead into my hand.

“Hicc… hic, hicc… Aaah…”

It was such a sad cry that it made my stomach churn just from hearing it.

“Aaa, hic…”

I was flustered, not knowing what to do. I barely regained my senses and leaned over as if I was hugging Yuta.

The beast, still small and young, continued to cry in my arms.

***

Yuta stopped crying after a while.

“Are you okay now?”

At my words, he nodded his head with swollen eyes.

“…My eyes are burning.”

“Because you cried so much.”

I called Magda who was standing outside the door and asked for an ice pack.

Magda was startled to see Yuta, who must have been crying a lot, then let out a sigh of relief when she noticed that Yuta’s eyes were twinkling as usual.

Soon after, Magda brought an ice pack.

Yuta calmed his swollen eyes, drank the milk Magda reheated, and ate cookies.

“I’ll be going.”

After swallowing the last cookie, I looked out the dark window and stood up in surprise.

Kellerhan told me not to stay long, yet somehow I was here for more than half a day.

Yuta silently nodded his head at me as I told him I was leaving.

I was worried that the boy’s condition would worsen again, but Yuta seemed to be fine now.

I took an empty silver tray with Magda and left Yuta’s room.

“I don’t know what kind of magic the Miss used, but the Young Master’s condition has improved a lot.”

I went into my room and changed into my nightgown when she said so.

A smile appeared on her face as she cared for Yuta and me.

“Because the Young Lord is strong. He overcame himself.”

I said that and got up on the bed.

My eyes closed as soon as she covered me with the blanket.

“Of course. Both of you are strong.”

After that, Magda turned off the light and went out, then I fell into a deep sleep after a long time.

***

As soon as Yuta Barmuth opened his eyes, he recognized that this place was in his dreams.

The rejection was familiar.

The scene he had seen when he was four was unfolding before his eyes again.

[This monster! How could you wear a human mask and do something like that!]

A beautiful blonde woman was crying in a mess.

[Ah, poor Brother. My poor Brother. If I had known it would be like this, I would never have come to Barmuth!]

The woman buried her face in her hands and wept bitterly.

At the sound of the woman’s cries, Yuta felt that his heart was breaking.

He thought that if only he could make her stop crying, he would do anything, he even could give his soul.

However, Yuta couldn’t do anything.

When he reached out his hand to comfort the woman, she was astonished as if she had seen a monster.

[Go away!]

The woman freaked out and dismissed Yuta’s hand.

[You’re also Barmuth’s bloodline. One day you will betray me just like him! You’ll push me into the pit and comfort me that I’ve upheld that petty justice!]

Utah was confused.

[But… But Uncle is…]

Before Yuta could say anything, the background of his dream changed.

Yuta was peeking inside through the slightly open door of the study.

He was in the study, lit by an orange light, sitting in a chair with Kellerhan hunched over.

Yuta saw the despair in Kellerhan’s eyes as they fell to the floor.

It was the first time his father looked at him like that.

[For today, just go away.]

Kellerhan said without looking back.

It seemed that he had been aware of Yuta’s existence for a long time.

[I don’t have the power to comfort you.]

Kellerhan reached over the table and grabbed a glass.

Yuta’s eyes widened.

It was the first time he had seen his father drink.

He carefully closed the study door.

The orange light that leaked from the study slowly faded and eventually disappeared completely.

It was in the dark.

We’ve probably failed.

I couldn’t protect Mother.

Yuta squatted in the dark, unable to do anything.

And buried his head in his lap, just as his mother had done.

It seemed that he would never be able to get out of this place.

It was then.

Someone grabbed Yuta’s hand.

And they led him, starting to run breathlessly.

[Where are we going?]

Yuta asked out loud, yet the other person didn’t answer.

They just ran and ran in the dark.

[It’s useless. It is impossible to get out of here.]

Yuta exclaimed angrily.

However, the other party didn’t listen to him.

No, they just looked forward and ran as if they couldn’t hear at all.

And a small light began to appear in the distance.

It was so small that it looked like it would go out when blown on, or fly away when held, but it was definitely light.

The girl led Yuta into the light.

Yuta opened his eyes.

He saw a familiar ceiling.

Realizing that he had awakened from his dream, he got up and went to the window.

When he opened the window, the cool spring night air flowed in through the wind.

And the moon floating in the sky.

Yuta looked at the moon and thought of his bride.

Isabella, I definitely gave you a chance.

You were the one who said you would stay.

So, you can’t leave me.

Don’t worry about messing up. I will protect you at all costs.

As I’ll never lose you again.

That’s why… Stay by my side.

Yuta vowed that he would never become like his father.

***

At the time Yuta was dreaming about Isabella, an unusual uproar was taking place in the Duke of Lodgemund.

“Father, I’m a patient! Do you really have to be so mad at the patient?”

Heiner, who was lying on the bed, was giving off a tantrum.

“You should be glad that it ended like this! Do you know how much I have raised you?”

However, the Duke of Lodgemund, who was dealing with him, didn’t have it easy either.

“Then what are you doing? Your son broke two ribs and you couldn’t even protest properly!”

“This…”

Duke Lodgemund glared at Heiner with wide eyes.

Heiner, a little taken aback by his father’s sullen appearance, turned his head and grumbled.

“Anyway, it’s too late to bring that girl in. She’s looking at me like trash. Damn it, only a  viscount’s daughter.”

“That’s why, didn’t I tell you to gently twist Schwires’ daughter? It’s because you can’t coax a nine-year-old girl…”

“Ah, I don’t know!”

Heiner, who had no interest in Radgrun’s Crown or engagement in the first place, screamed and turned over.

Embarrassingly, a groaning sound was soon heard.

Having infuriated his father so much, he fell asleep.

Duke Lodgemund looked at his sleeping son with cold, sunken eyes.

There was a thousand fires inside.

However, he couldn’t help it because he was the only heir.

When dealing with other people, even a fool can be calm, yet he couldn’t understand why his son became excited in front of the Barmuth’s hound and his son.

‘Let’s calm down. There is still a way.’

Duke Lodgemund let out a big sigh before returning to his office and calling for Rodolph.

“Now that Heiner has made a fuss, it’s too much to bring Schwires’ daughter to be his fiancée.”

“Then what should we do now…”

Rodolph was stumped by Duke Rosimund’s declaration.

“What should we do? Do I have to tell you all about it?”

The Duke of Lodgemund frowned at him.

“Of course, we have to attack Radgrun’s Crown directly. It’s a bit early, but there’s nothing wrong with moving quickly.”

“…! That means…”

“Helvard, hit the Central Bank run by that cunning fox.”

Duke Rosimund’s eyes flashed with greed for Radgrun’s crown.

However, Rodolph was skeptical.

“But, Duke, we can’t afford that.”

Lodgemund had soldiers.

Not to mention enlisted soldiers, the number of people who could be used in battle was limited, except for the minimum number of knights escorting the direct descendant.

At Rodolph’s point, Duke Lodgemund snorted.

“We don’t have enough capacity. But don’t we have ‘friends’?”

Rodolph’s eyes widened.

A faint fear welled up in his eyes.

“A-Are you thinking of calling them?”

“They have to cooperate anytime. Why is it not now?”

“B-But…”

“What are you saying? Contact them right away.”

“I understand.”

Rodolph bowed his head and left the office.

Left alone, Duke Lodgemund took a small stone on the table and started rolling it.

Then, black smoke erupted from the stone, slowly began to wrap its hand around the Duke of Lodgemund.

“Phew.”

Duke Lodgemund let out a long breath with a more relaxed face and waited for the black smoke to cover his entire body.

“Helvard… I have no ill feelings toward you. It’s just that you’re in charge of Radgrun’s Crown.”

He muttered, closing his eyes.