CH 57

[Third Person POV]

Nathaniel was tending the flower beds. But the more he cut the scissors, the more the flower tree got messed up. Wizard Pagolas, who approached cautiously not to step on the numerous flowers that had fallen on the floor, bowed his head to him.

“Have you found it, Your Holiness?”

Nathaniel slowly turned to look at him. Nathaniel handed him the flower he had just cut.

“Thank you, Your Holiness.”

Pagolas reached out to receive it, but Nathaniel spread his fingers before he could catch it and let the flower fall to the floor. Pagolas froze with his hands stopped in the air.

“Sometimes there are people like that.”

Nathaniel turned around again and started clipping. Every time he heard the sound of scissors cutting, the back of the Pagolas felt chilly.

“Those who want to be rewarded for doing nothing. Things that naively believe that there will be no price for what others give.”

“That……is that so?”

“I hate such ignorant people.”

Pagolas withdrew his hands and knelt down.

“Your Holiness, please give me a chance.”

“What are you doing, Pagolas? Doesn’t it feel like I’m blaming you? Get up. The floor is cold. Isn’t it a bad knee?”

As Nathaniel said, Pagolas’ knee was not healthy. Because Nathaniel stabbed his sword into the knee of Pagolas. It was already 3 years ago. Each time Nathaniel pronounced the word knee, Pagolas recalled the memory of that time.

The memory of that time was shameful and terrifying.

“No, Your Holiness. I just found a position that suits my duty as the lowest. Never mind.”

“If you really think so, I won’t stop you.”

Nathaniel finally put down the scissors on the table and sat down on the chair as if he were satisfied.

“It’s a mess in the kingdom of Veloki.”

“Blanche has betrayed.”

“So what did I say. Didn’t I tell you not to trust people.”

It was hard to believe that the words came from the mouth of a pope who was known to have extraordinary humanity.

“Did you take care of it?”

“It’s…”

Pagolas was sure that he was asking knowingly, but he couldn’t say that he didn’t know everything.

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“Are you sure you’re working on the western border?”

“Of course, Your Holiness. With the support you sent me, I will continue to study…….”

“Hul! Pagolas. Who let you go? What?”

“I made a mistake, Your Holiness!”

When Pagolas noticed Nathaniel’s anger, he touched his forehead to the cold floor. Nathaniel’s frosty gaze pierced the back of Pagolas’ head. Pagolas is a skilled wizard. The bizarre creatures he created pleased Nathaniel. But it’s not clever. Nathaniel felt sorry for that.

“In the near future, we will hold a prayer meeting for the starving people on the western border.”

“Yes, Your Holiness.”

“Sir Erhardt will also go, so it wouldn’t be a bad idea to turn around then.”

“I understand, Your Holiness.”

Nathaniel got up from his seat. The sound of rustling clothes gradually faded away. Pagolas got up only after the sound had completely disappeared. He hurriedly left the temple.

An encounter with Erhardt. If he screwed this up, it would be difficult to preserve his life. He had to prepare hard. His mind grew more and more impatient.

***

[Stefan’s POV]

The nights in the West were cool. The western boundary forest that divides the lives of monsters and humans howled in the wind. There were cries day and night. During the day, the screams of humans who went to the wrong forest, and at night, the screams of monsters… … . There was no exception today.

Kkueeeeeg. 

The corpses of monsters were piled up like a mountain, and Stefan was sitting on top of them holding a long scythe like a death god. After returning to the capital, the emperor ordered them to return to the western border. Hela definitely said that she had cleared the western border to some extent.

Stefan tried to remain in the capital, but a series of casualties broke out on the western border. Eventually, Stefan had to come to the western border. The western boundary was again in disarray to the extent that what Hela said was out of the question. The number of monsters increased again. With things bigger and stronger than before. This is nonsense.

It’s not an amoeba that splits into two when monsters cut it. They also have a period in which they reproduce and give birth, but can the number increase exponentially?

Even the number of adult demons, not young ones, has increased. As if someone were creating a demon, the number blew up again and Stefan could not clear the western boundary. It’s time to call in Kaylan, Ether, and Eyla.

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But it’s Estiya’s birthday soon. Hela said that she would throw a grand celebration for Estiya’s birthday. But he couldn’t take the children out, Hela would not have enough hands. Touching the ground with his scythe, Stefan stood up. Until Estiya’s birthday celebration, she endured it alone.

As Stefan’s long scythe cut through the air, green blood gushed out with a strange sound.

TL/N: Ahh the lengths daughter-obsessed dads go to LOL

***

[Third Person POV]

Rodrigo silently watched as the door to the banquet hall opened.

“How long has it been since you had a banquet in Erhardt, Your Excellency?”

Augustus shed tears as if it was a special feeling. As a secretary and an old butler, for some reason, tears flowed a lot.

“Will you be ready for the banquet in two days?”

“We were preparing in advance.”

Before Rodrigo went to war, he called Augustus separately and spoke to him. After winning the war and returning, the fight will begin in earnest. Knowing who it was against, Augustus anticipated that he would start socializing as well, and prepared in advance. He never dreamed that the beginning would be a banquet.

“Make sure you use it generously. Time is money.”

At Rodrigo’s words, Augustus bowed his head.

“I have already looked for a worker who will be running all day. Although it was not used, the banquet hall itself has not been touched because it has been maintained. All we have to do is replace old curtains and tablecloths and clean up.”

“Yes, I believe in you.”

“By the way, sir. How far should I send the invitation?”

Rodrigo laughed.

“All.”

Invitations will be sent to all the nobles of the capital. Will they move to the banquet that will be held in just two days? Rodrigo planned to use this banquet to cover the people who were most interested in him.

***

[Estiya’s POV]

Late at night, Rodrigo came to visit with a large box. Jane and I were playing chess for the first time in a while. Now it’s checkmate if I catch Jane’s queen, but when Rodrigo appeared, Jane pretended to be surprised and overturned the board.

“His Excellency Rodrigo!”

“Jane!”

I shouted. My words falling down with noise felt like my alter ego.

A bad thing.

“I’ll make room for you two to have a chat.”

Jane glanced at me and quickly disappeared into my room.

“Now it’s very natural to go in and out of my room?”

I said to Rodrigo, raising the fallen horses one by one.

“That’s a good sound. It sounds like a saying that I fit in here.”

Rodrigo said casually and pulled a chair and put it next to me. My gaze landed on the large gift box he was carrying.

“What’s that?”

“It’s a gift.”

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I held out my hand to Rodrigo. Instead of giving it directly to me, Rodrigo put it on the bed and waved for me to come. As I approached, Rodrigo opened the chest. Inside the box was a luxurious dress. The antique but out-of-date dress  shimmered with finely-encrusted jewels.

“Did you buy it?”

“No.”

“Then where did you get it?”

“The former Grand Duchess made it with her own hands.”

“What?”

I looked back at Rodrigo in amazement. Rodrigo was looking at the dress and I felt a sense of sadness and longing.

“My mother made it herself. Imagining her young son’s wife.”

Rodrigo laughed playfully, but I couldn’t follow him.

“It may sound a bit tacky, but can you wear it to the banquet tomorrow?”

It’s not about being tacky. This was a great dress. How dare I wear it. Come to think of it, the dress was a little familiar.

Ah… Anheine wore this dress. It was at their engagement, too. Scattered sky-blue jewels reminiscent of a clear autumn sky and fabric like fairy wings… …

In the novel, Rodrigo held Anheine’s hand all day, saying that Anheine wearing this seemed like an angel and would fly away leaving him behind. It was a very lovely scene that did not fit the novel.

“I think there’s a separate owner.”

I muttered in a gloomy voice without even realizing it. Rodrigo’s jaw tightened.

“How long are you going to push me away?”

Rodrigo spoke after a long time.

“Will you come to me? Then I’ll wait without any promises.”

I couldn’t bear to answer that.

“Whether you wear the dress or not, it’s Estiya, your choice. But don’t even think about giving it back. The owner of the dress has already been decided.”

Rodrigo looked at the dress and disappeared, leaving me standing as if I were hammered. Should I wear this dress or not. I couldn’t sleep all night and had to get a ton of nagging from Jane the next day.