CH 69

I couldn’t help but notice how he must be recalling how I had been in the past. Even this made me feel unpleasant.

Why did he keep lingering on the past? I didn’t even want to think of it, but he was taking on the opposite route about this. It’s making me all the more uncomfortable.

“Then, I’ll be on my way. Duke and Young Duke, I hope you have a good time. I’ll be going back first.”

“Oh? Oh, be safe on your way.”

“…Yes, be safe, Lady Closch.”

“Please be sure to think about it more. Sean, escort Her Ladyship to the carriage.”

“Yes, Grandfather!”

As I quickly gave up on my purpose in coming here, I finished saying goodbye and left the smithy.

“I can go alone from here, so you can head on back.”

“Ah, yes! Then, please go home safely, Milady!”

Sean bowed deeply, his cheeks a bit red. He didn’t have to bow down so low, but I waved at him anyway as he stiffly went back inside. As for me, I walked towards the carriage that was waiting for me.

It had been a while since I went on an outing, so Mom might be getting worried right about now. As the coachman caught sight of me, walking hastily back to the carriage, he soon opened the door for me.

I was in a hurry to ride the vehicle because I could feel someone’s presence following behind me. I reflexively turned around to see who it was, and there, I found Ciel, who was supposed to be inside the smithy. I clenched my hands into fists.

“Lady, you left this behind.”

He was casually holding a large box. I looked up at him confusedly, but he only smiled slightly and loaded the box into the carriage.

“…What’s this?”

I asked in a low voice so that the coachman wouldn’t hear. He had placed the box near me inside the carriage, but as he was about to straighten up again, his face was now right in front of mine.

So close that we could feel each other’s breath, his blue eyes seemed to quiver relentlessly.

“Haa…”

Letting out a deep sigh, he slowly closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again. And, he said,

“Perhaps your level… really has changed.”

He whispered in a low voice, then soon drew back as if nothing had happened. Instead of the coachman, Ciel closed the carriage door, all the while keeping his eyes on me.

Then, before the door was completely closed, he whispered quietly.

“It’s nothing much, but I hope you like it.”

Ka-chak.

As soon as the door was closed, the coachman urged the horses to move forward. I only realized now how tense my body was here on my seat, and I soon relaxed.

While I felt ridiculous for being overly conscious, my eyes couldn’t help but gravitate to the large box.

In all honesty, it’s not like I couldn’t guess what’s inside the box, so I smiled unknowingly.

It must be the monster bow that I was looking at earlier.

* * *

Staring at the carriage as it went farther and farther away, Ciel eventually turned around so he could return to the smithy. Before that though, he met David.

“Duke!”

“Ah, Young Baron. I was about to head to the garrison, but it’s a nice coincidence that I met you here first.”

Unlike Ciel, however, who was relaxed, David was evidently distraught. Sweat was trickling down the sides of his forehead.

“I finally found you, Duke. Have you been here since a while ago?”

“Hm? You came to look for me?”

David answered hastily and delivered the message he was here to give.

“Yes. A message through the emergency contact network was recently received from our garrison.”

“From the emergency network? Is it a monster wave?”

That meant only one thing—the members of the garrison stationed at the border were requesting back up. It wouldn’t be used unless it was truly urgent.

And it was used perhaps only as a last resort.

David hesitated for a moment as Ciel’s expression darkened, but he continued.

“It’s not that… His Highness the Crown Prince has sent a summons for you, Duke. According to his order, you must come to the palace as soon as possible.”

“…What?”

Befuddled, Ciel couldn’t understand why the crown prince had used such an important emergency network for a mere summons. Even so, he hid his confusion and surmised what the reason behind it could be.

“Ha… Don’t tell me. He’s calling me there because of that woman.”

Somehow, Ciel felt an unbearable surge of anger. His guess was most likely correct.

Even so, despite his emotions, it would be right to go back to the capital because the crown prince himself had summoned him.

“…I must go back.”

He hadn’t even been able to win over his wife yet; having to go back now was nothing but an annoyance.

“Then, I’ll head back to our manor first so that your belongings can be packed up in advance. But since you’ve come all the way to the smithy, why don’t you finish looking through Benjamin’s weapons, Duke? It’s the pride of our estate.”

At David’s suggestion, Ciel smiled.

“Definitely. The monster hunting weapons I see here are much better than what’s available in my domain. I need to buy some.”

“Of course, Duke. I’m sure old man Benjamin will be greatly pleased.”

“Yes.”

Returning to the smithy where Aiden was, Ciel thought this time that he might not be able to avoid the saintess’s guiding.

However, just thinking about the guiding of the saintess—that was, Seo-yoon—made him unbearably nauseous.