CH 96

The Joy of Waiting

[Kyrie probably knows. There’s a good chance you’re related. I don’t know why she’s silent, but anyway, there is no reason for me to stand still.]

“…….”

[Since I am a knight, I try not to kill women and children as much as possible. It’s an old custom, but it’s always a tradition.]

He spoke very politely and held out his sword a little more. He began to dig his word into Rubinia’s navel, the white blade was obscured by her dress.

“Ugh……Hik.”

Rubinia, who was terrified, gasped with her mouth open.  Her eyes widened as if she had seen something unbelievable, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Nathaniel whispered, looking down at her fear indifferently.

[So what about you? Are you really a great person who can keep your beliefs even in the face of death?]

“I, I, I…..!”

[It will be very painful.]

“……!”

[Very.]

His voice was soft and gentle, like a father who treats a child’s injuries. The blade began to move slowly, very slowly.

“-No, no, I’ll tell you!”

When she felt a tingling pain inside her belly button, Rubinia finally succumbed to her fear.  She propped out her trembling hand. A ring from the Orewinbridge family with green jewel, came to view.

Nathaniel’s eyes lit up.

As soon as she finished speaking, a black shadow engulfed the whole area. Rubinia, who thought her death was imminent, groaned and grabbed her head.

“Please s, save me!”

But nothing happened. It was just black all around. With tears flowing, Rubinia made a puzzled face, and Nathaniel laid down his sword.

[It’s magic.]

He said holding Rubinia’s hand. Despite his arrogant gaze as if looking at a worm, his movements were as elegant and romantic as a knight dealing with his lady. Thanks to this, Rubinia’s fear was quickly diluted.

Nathaniel looked around at the green jewel embedded in Rubinia’s ring and said,

[Is it for mind control? Wonderful taste of Owrenbridge.]

Nathaniel asked Rubinia, who was still giving out her hand silently, like a honeyed mute.

(T/N: honeyed mute: a person who can’t say what she/he wants or thinks.)

[Did the Emperor give it to you? An external force cannot act in this space, so answer me.]

“Ah…….”

Rubinia nodded her head, holding back her tears.

“Instead of marrying the Crown Prince, I was told to wear this. I don’t know, but if I talk nonsense, there is a spell that will kill me….”

[And?]

“I was told to lure out Kyrie Buchanan…….”

Rubinia spoke and looked into Nathaniel’s complexion.  He surprisingly reacted succinctly.

[What are the magic corps going to do with Kyrie?]

“…… she’s trying to lure her in. Her Majesty the Emperor has found the laboratory of Orewinbridge, the founder of the family, Valabry. I think she found some hideous magic there……..”

[Yes?]

Nathaniel, who was examining her ring, immediately put down Rubinia’s hand, as if brushing off filth.

[But you invited me.]

“…….”

[You don’t want Kyrie to die, do you?]

“That, that…..”

Rubinia nodded her head. Obviously, she hated her so much at one time. But now it’s different. Kyrie was too faithful to be involved in such a power struggle to die.

Nathaniel looked down at Rubinia who didn’t answer. And he let out a shallow breath that sounded overly obscene, without a single nasal note.

[Thanks to you, I saved Kyrie, so I’ll let you live.]

Rubinia’s expression brightened. Once she was allowed to survive, a look of desperation soon appeared on her face.

“Are you still going to stick with Kyrie?”

Nathaniel blinked indifferently. 

What does it mean?

“Because of the ring, I have to do what the Emperor tells me to do. But if you are by her side, Kyrie will be fine, so won’t it be okay?”

[If you had eyes, you would have seen how much she avoided me today.]

Nathaniel’s eyes in reply were a little creepy.  Rubinia inhaled her breath through her nose in shock, but soon her eyes lit with determination.

“That is something I can do.”

***

The next morning, Rubinia broke into Kyrie’s office.

“Let’s eat!”

MarryAnne who was carrying the tea growled at her but Rubinia treated her insignificantly and strode towards Kyrie.

“Meal! You have to eat! Or do you have plans to die?”

“How were you last night, Your Royal Highness?”

Kyrie also looked down at the documents without glancing. One time she followed her stubbornness, but not twice.

“Oh, why are you treating me like this? I’m on my honeymoon right now?”

“Elsus is good for honeymooners. How about going abroad? Recently, a golden dragon appeared in the North Continent.”

“Hey!”

“MarryAnne. The book keeping of the fire brigade and the settlement of accounts are very different from the previous year. It looks like the person in charge has changed, I would like to meet that person.”

“Yes, lady.”

Rubinia had a tired expression on her face.

“Why are you dealing with that now? Even though you haven’t officially taken part in the delegation process yet!”

“I’m just putting out the urgent complaint, Your Royal Highness. Perhaps Pronoia will be a permanent residence, but it’s not a good place to build a permanent residence, so I don’t think I’ll be able to come in person much.”

So you are just saying you will take care of it while you are here. 

Rubinia didn’t know if it was worth this much. 

Rubinia glared at the document with her hands on the desk.

“……Anyway, I have to take you.”

“Yes. He must have agreed to that. Lord Legend.”

(T/N: Kyrie knows about Rubinia and her deal with Nathaniel, and she is being sarcastic here XD)

Rubinia paused. After meeting her again, it was the first time she spoke of Lord Legend directly from her mouth.

Kyrie quietly put down the pen and paper.  She met Rubinia’s eyes with her fingers on the desk.

“Your Royal Highness. I’m saying this out of concern for your safety.”

“It sounds like an annoying story just by hearing the preface.”

“Don’t get close to him.  He is the one who will kill anyone next to me to get my attention.”

Rubinia bit her lip.

“I know that.”

“You know, but why?”

“You, where did that aristocratic accent go?”

“Do you have any spare lives? Acting cutely and then narrowing the distance, it doesn’t work on him.”

Kyrie’s eyes were too serious for her to refute and moreover she also agreed with her statement. 

She was clearly worried about her, Kyrie knew how she (Rubinia) was feeling right now.  

Rubinia then bluntly wrinkled her nose.

“Can’t you do what I can’t? You can use him while acting cute!”

Kyrie laughed bitterly.

“Like a cat?”

“Whether it’s a human or a cat, what does it matter? You’re not the one to meow and cry for someone to get killed!”

“Surprisingly, cats don’t have the power to decide who to kill and who to keep alive.  And in this case, the problem is that the owner is Nathaniel.”

The sadness that permeated behind the calm answer naturally reminded Rubinia of Nathaniel’s record. The sense of confinement because it was dangerous outside for her, and of using the entire city to perform a puppet show because she did not listen to him, was clearly beyond the reach of ordinary humans.

“Nathaniel is the kind of person who will do anything if thinks it’s harmful to his cat.  Should I just let it be, as long as I’m not harmed?  Even though I know that one day something like that will happen again?”

“So, uh, well speaking of that….”

“You don’t think I didn’t try to convince him with words.”

Rubinia shut her mouth. It was quite natural that she would have been the first to do so.

Kyrie looked down at her interlaced fingers with a little bit of her complicity in mind.

“Rather, I think he’s like this because everyone has acted that way.”

“Like that…?”

In an instant, Kyrie’s eyes dimmed.

“They were too afraid to confront him, so they bent over and bowed down.….I don’t think anyone taught him how to build a real relationship.”

“…….”

Rubinia made a blank face.

‘What are you talking about?’

It’s a real relationship. Is that a reasonable thing to say to ‘that’ Lord Legend?  If she had been in that position, she would have benefited from just currying favour moderately. Because she’s not only afraid to face him but also ignore him. In any case, there is no harm to her.  If she gives him what he wants, even greater wealth and fame will come back.

But Kyrie Buchanan muttered a little bitterly.

“Will a world where cats all around us be happy?” (T/N: she is implying that, will there be a world where all humans will be happy? The answer is no)

It was a sentence that had weight and responsibility, but Rubinia was stunned.

‘…….Don’t worry about it yourself!’

But that belief could never be said to be wrong, so Rubinia soon stopped.

“……But no matter what you say, I will have to keep the Lord Legend with you. Come out. Right Now.”

Kyrie looked up at Ruby Nia who said so, and then softly lowered her eyes.

“If it is an order.”

***

The public garden on the top floor of the Grand Library was vacated for a meal for three.  A white, round table was placed among the trees that were always green by magic.

The Legendary Lord was sitting in the front. The legs that were too long to be placed under the table were crossed gracefully. Holding a teacup and a saucer, his half-closed eyes were as beautiful as a painting.

Rubinia, who was entering with Kyrie, was slightly impressed.

“How can a person look like that……?”

As the two approached, Nathaniel put down the teacup. His icy, blue eyes looked at Kyrie, but she didn’t meet his eyes. The responsibility of giving greetings belonged to Rubinia.

“Are we too late?”

Nathaniel then saw Rubinia and made a face like, ‘Yeah, you were there too.’  Still, he was gentle and polite.

[A person who does not know the joy of waiting cannot become a knight.]

MarryAnne began to carry food. In front of Kyrie and Rubinia, salad, mushrooms, white bread, and white fish topped with sauce were placed, but only a wine was placed in front of Nathaniel.

Rubinia, sandwiched between the two, who seemed unlikely to get along, was exhausted and it was time to say anything.

“Um, Sir, don’t you feel the appetite?”

[I don’t feel hungry, but I can eat, I don’t care if I don’t eat it. Wine is just a luxury item.]

(T/N: he means to say, he likes wine that’s why he is drinking it, ppl who know about luxury goods might relate, luxury goods aren’t necessary but a preference if you have money)

Nathaniel replied, watching MarryAnne pouring wine into a glass with a very sullen look on her face. Rubinia, whose eyes were twinkling, leaned her upper body forward a little.

“When it comes to preferences, have you had the opportunity to learn about human preferences? I heard that Lord Legend was originally a human being, is that true?”

Nathaniel blinked strangely at her question. He put his chin on his hand, resting against the table, and tilted his head.

(T/N: just heads up, in the raws it’s written that he put his chin on table and tilted his head but honestly is really weird, and the author does mess up few things so I went for this)

[If Kyrie asks, I will answer.]

Rubinia turned to Kyrie, but she kept her mouth shut as if she never wanted to be part of the story.

“Looks like a big secret! Miss Buchanan, aren’t you curious?”

[She is not really curious about it. She never asks what everyone else is asking.]

“Unbelievable! Miss Buchanan, aren’t you curious about the Legendary Lord? For example, where do those jewels and gold coins come from!”

[I don’t want to give it to you, so you can’t be curious.] 

(T/N: omg he is acting cute here, I feel Rubina and Nathaniel can become siblings haha)

“Nonsense! Although it’s a bit late to say this now, remember the pink sapphire that went to Miss Buchanan. Well, that was what I was aiming for all along!”

Rubinia seemed to want to somehow get Kyrie into the conversation. Kyrie couldn’t figure out why she was so engrossed in this. But it doesn’t look like she’ll ever quit.  Kyrie ruffled her hair with her little sigh.

“I will give it to you when I return to the capital. It’s a wedding gift.”

“Really?”

Rubinia asked with a dazzle in her eyes. Then she felt Nathaniel’s gaze, and she flinched and said, 

“Hey, thank you, but I mean, ah! Yes! Are you going to the capital? In my opinion, since I am a member of the royal family, I would like to ride a carriage alone, rather than traveling together!”

“Anyway, I plan to return to the capital sooner rather than later to repatriate the Marquis of Vermont.”

“Oh? Well I knew it. This city is pretty, but a bit boring.”

“Did you enter the palace?”

“Huh. Of course. Now I am a woman living in the royal palace.”

“Ah. That’s good.”

“Are you happy?”

“Yeah, I have to send you an invitation.”

“Will you be holding a homecoming ball? It doesn’t suit you.”

Kyrie laughed softly.

“No. A wedding invitation.”

An eerie silence settled without warning.  Rubinia couldn’t help trembling her eyes, but she managed to smile with a charming smile.

***

Fan art!

Kyrie Buchanan