CH 74

The seventeen-year-old Dietrich had a body built as large as an adult, but his face had a youthful look that I found his worried expression cute. 

‘In the book, he was already a monstrous villain at this age.’

But where could you find a villain like this who’s suffering from a trivial sense of guilt? 

I faintly smiled and grabbed Dietrich, who was still holding my hand, and hugged him tightly. 

“Why? What’s wrong?”

His broad back, which was twice as wide as mine, flinched. I replied, gently sweeping his back who was stuttering in embarrassment. 

“It’s all right. Don’t be bothered with things like that.”

“...............”

“And in that sense, you could also say that I’m using Dietrich.”

Because I knew in the future that Dietrich would win the Rose War and so I tried to make myself look good to him. 

‘Hm. Maybe I shouldn’t have said something like this.’

It would have been difficult to answer if he asked what I meant but fortunately, Dietrich only stared at me with his wide eyes and didn’t question me. 

“But is it raining now?”

I pressed on his stiff lips full of apologies and closed my eyes. 

‘I think water is falling somewhere.’

Before I knew it, a cool and gentle spring breeze blew through the open window. 

The wind blowing on my cheeks made me feel good and I unconsciously let out a smile. 

The problem was that I also felt the gentle falling of the drizzling raindrops together with it. 

‘It doesn’t look like this kind of drizzle will just pour through the window.’

With reasonable doubt, I turned my head and looked up at the ceiling. We were not in the greenhouse but in the bedroom, however, the beautiful sky that we should never see could be seen with our eyes as it was. 

“.......Where did the ceiling of our house go?”

That was when I finally returned to my senses and looked around but there was not a single place left intact. 

The purification trees that I had grown to suppress the power of Asmodeus were wrapped around all the pillars like vines and for some reason, the ceiling was half-blown away and rain was pouring in. 

Even the berries that flourished in spring were carried away by the wind. 

“I blew it away with the sword.”

Dietrich replied a little late and placed his hand over my face where raindrops were falling. 

Thanks to that, my face was able to avoid the rain but…

“Then, do we have to live getting rained on from now?” 

Even though you’re nominally the Grand Duke? 

Even when I was an ordinary citizen of Korea, I had never lived in a house where I got rained on. 

“Oh, we don’t have money to fix this, do we....?”

I murmured in despair. Dahlia originally had no money, and the money I had saved was not enough to repair this enormous palace. 

The property belonged to the Grand Duke of Lagrange, but Dietrich had not yet officially succeeded as the Grand Duke. 

‘Is it my life to live in poverty?’

I felt a little miserable and pouted my lips; above me, I heard him ground his teeth. 

“We have. We have money.”

────── 〔✿〕──────

“When on earth will it melt? It’s still frozen even though the sun is shining this strong.”

“It won’t melt even in summer. Not until Marguerite the Second officially approves of me as Grand Duke.” [1]

Although the weather in early spring was warm in the North, the ice sculptures in front of them showed no signs of melting. 

I was slowly starting to worry. 

‘They won’t stay this way forever, right?’

After I groped around the frozen Yuric and Veronica, I shook my head to shake off the guilt. 

‘Even if I knew in advance, there would have been nothing I could do.’

“I was wondering where in the world they went, but I didn’t know they would freeze like this.”

“Lagrange’s direct lineage cannot leave the North until the succession of a sibling is decided.” 

‘I mean, I didn’t know being unable to leave the North meant they will be frozen like this.’ 

Maybe the reason I was fine was that Lagrange’s blood didn’t flow in me? 

‘Hm. But he’s not asking why I’m not frozen?’

I opened my mouth as I looked at Dietrich sideways who was scanning the statues with an indifferent face. 

“Are they not cold? Are they aware that they’re frozen?”

“Who knows. I’ve never been frozen before so I don’t know.”

I pouted at Dietrich’s curt answer. To be honest, I thought that Yuric and Veronica had fled Lagrange’s critical situation. 

I was the sacrifice that Dietrich needed, and Asmodeus was not an opponent they could do something about. 

“It won’t affect their life, does it?”

However, the frozen Yuric and Veronica, as if silently criticizing me, froze with their hands outstretched towards the Nature of Lagrange. 

You could even feel the urgency from their faces twisted in shock. The two seemed to have been running to help us. 

‘It’s a bit like a work of art.’

In particular, Veronica could be believed to be a statue made by a master craftsman who delicately expressed even her long inner eyelashes. 

“Then, did the triplets freeze like this too?”

“I’ve sent someone to Saint-Dena, so we will hear about it soon.”

The fact that all candidates who did not enter the successor’s gate freezes were not even mentioned in the original work. 

However, Dietrich wasn’t too surprised to find the frozen Yuric, as if he knew in advance. 

“Uhm.”

I’m a bit apologetic about this. 

I blamed myself a little for going somewhere without helping. 

I put my hands on my chest, reflecting on my terrible misunderstanding. 

“Will His Majesty come to the North to give you approval o succeed? Or will you have to go, Dietrich?”

“The King’s feet are like those of a giant. She doesn’t move carelessly.”

He could just say he’s the one going, but he always makes his words so difficult. 

“The capital is far away, so be careful. I’ll be looking for ways to repair the palace in the meantime.”

There was not one place that didn’t need repairs in Nature with holes here and there. 

It would be believable to say that it was a castle of a royal family that had fallen a long time ago with all the broken roofs and collapsed pillars. 

‘All of that is money.’

Spending money I didn’t have -- I actually had a lot -- wasn’t particularly heartbreaking. 

Clicking my tongue in regret, I swept down the broken marble fountain with my hands, as a sharp gaze fell on the side of my face as if it would bore holes in it. 

‘Why is he looking at me like that?’

Since there was only Dietrich and me in the forest of withered roses, he was the only one who could stare into my face like that. 

“.........What is it?”

I turned my head slowly and looked at Dietrich. He just kept looking at me without answering my question. 

‘Does he want to have a staring contest?’

For some reason, I didn’t want to lose so I opened my eyes wide and watched him. 

Despite the three years which he spent on the battlefield, Dietrich looked like an elegant nobleman if he’s not holding a sword. 

“The capital is far away.”

“Hm. It’s far. That’s why you have to be careful on your journey.”

Dietrich frowned slightly and pressed his finger against his temple. Under the scorching midday sun, silver cufflinks sparkled and shook with the wind. 

‘In effect, he’s actually a Duke.’

No, should I call him His Grace now? [2] 

As she worried about such ridiculous matters while waiting for his next words, Dietrich’s stiff mouth which she felt was quite stubborn, momentarily twisted. 

“Are you telling me to go alone?”

“Then who are you going to go with?”

Was he saying he would bring with him the frozen Yuric? 

I tilted my head, catching Dietrich's sour gaze.

At first glance, his tone came off as if he was angry, but his face, as usual, was as calm as the dawn sky. 

“I think it would be best to go as soon as possible. Are you just going to leave Yuric and Veronica frozen like this?”

“.............” 

There was a short silence; he didn’t open his mouth again as if thinking about something. 

‘Did his personality change a little?’

I think he was easier to read before he left for the battlefield. 

“........Let’s go together.”

The words I heard were a little unexpected. I found it odd so I gazed at him blankly. 

“We’re leaving Lagrange empty?”

“Why the hell do you care about that? Did you hide any treasure in the castle?”

It’s nothing much, but it was hidden. I tried to answer, hiding my prickly expression. 

“Of course I care. Who will protect the castle?”

The gate, which Asmodeus had opened, did not close properly, and all kinds of filth from the demon realm poured out, and the purification tree that I cultivated at will penetrated the walls and the roofs regardless of whether it was Nature or the annex buildings. 

All the surprised servants ran away except Marilyn, so who else would sweep, wipe and repair this huge castle but me? 

“I didn’t know you cared so much about Lagrange’s castle.”

“Huh?”

When I asked back with my eyes wide open, he chuckled as if speechless.

“I have nothing else to protect except you.” 

“.........”

“Where will I go without you?”

The fact that it came out of the mouth of such a gruff seventeen-year-old was unbelievable to the point that I became embarrassed. 

Of course, it didn’t mean that it was affection between a man and a woman. 

“Is--Is that so?”

“That’s right.”

“Well, let’s go together! I wanted to go and see the capital, too, so that turned out well!”

The capital, Valliere, was one of the most glamorous cities that Empire Bernoulli boasts. I’ll go look around until I get sick of it. 

I got up from my seat and scratched my cheek feeling a little awkward.