There was a lot of work to do, but Rune was absent-minded, unable to put her hands on the work.
Drial is Infertile.
He's not a eunuch, but I'm infertile!
Rune's expression became serious and she suddenly remembered DriaI's words that the shape and function were fine.
The corner of her mouth went up at the absurd explanation. A smile spread across her face and her mood improved.
She looked at the accumulated work and put down the quill. She didn't feel like working right now. Her head hurt because of the homework Drial had left behind.
Dione...
When she thought of that name, a feeling of longing appeared on her expressionless face. Dione is the child born to Drial's half-sister Theona.
Theona is not in this world. When Dione was born, the god of death took her soul.
Dione, who was born, was almost abandoned because she was a girl, but Drial decided to take responsibility. Her parents were actually Drial and Rune.
Dione was a cheerful and smart child. Rune, who recognized the child's cleverness, sent Dione to study in the city where the Temple of Wisdom was located. That already happened the year before last.
Rune did his best to make Arhon a good territory, but Arhon was not yet a safe place.
No matter what happened, Dione had to be protected. So she sent Dione somewhere else. She swore to Theona a long time ago when she was dying.
"Teona, I will definitely protect your child. I will protect it even if it means my death.. So don't worry. You have nothing to worry about."
Rune was pessimistic about selecting Dione as Arhon's successor.
Dione will definitely do well. But she didn't want Dione to suffer.
Lord Arhon was far from a powerful position. For Dione, It would have been better to become a scholar at the Temple of Wisdom.
Rune, who was deep in thought, got up from her seat. She was thinking of talking to Drial again.
While she was looking for Drial, following the traces of the blue wind, a servant came running up the stairs out of breath.
The servant stood in front of Rune, panting as if he had something to report to her.
"Ma'am, outside... In the courtyard, a wizard has arrived...."
"A wizard?"
"yes, W, with the lord..."
Rune hurriedly left the castle after hearing that Drial had brought a wizard.
Wizards do not get involved in human affairs no matter what. That was their iron rule.
As she left the castle, she saw a golden body. It was the gold dragon that carried Drial to Arhon. The dragon was affectionately rubbing his face at the wizard, who seemed too young to be an adult but mature to be a boy.
People working in the main castle were openly watching the strange sight.
They stared at the wizard and dragon in fascination, then raised their heads when they heard the sound of running feet. Those who discovered Rune bowed their heads.
"Hello, Ma'am."
Cookie, who sent the dragon away, greeted Rune politely.
"I am Cookie, the youngest wizard in the Magic Tower, who came to stay in Arhon for a while thanks to the lord's consideration. Please take care of me during my stay."
"Welcome to Arhon, the wizard."
Rune was embarrassed by this situation but responded calmly.
Cookie responded with a smile and looked at Rune's face for a moment, just long enough to not be rude.
However, Rune had a more sensitive temperament than ordinary people. She felt a sense of puzzlement in the way he was staring at her. It couldn't be otherwise, because Cookie stared at Rune's eyes, nose, and mouth as if looking for traces of someone else.
Cookie quickly took notice and explained so as not to offend Rune.
"You look like my friend. No. I guess it's fair to say that my friend takes after Madam."
"Does that friend have silver hair too?"
"Yes, he has shiny silver hair like Madame.. The eyes are gold, resembling moonlight. When I saw Madam, I thought of my friend. Because you had an uncanny resemblance. So, without realizing it, I dared to look at Madam. Please forgive my rudeness."
Rune wasn't angry. Silver hair was rare.
The silver hair that sparkled like the Milky Way was also an irritating symbol of the Helid family.
Thinking of the Helid family, Rune's mouth almost twitched.
"It looks like the blood of the Helid family flows through that friend's
body."
"As far as I know, probably yes."
"Friend..."
Are you okay? Weren't you sold somewhere and offered up as a sacrifice?
You're not going to live a broken life like me, are you?
Rune forced herself to swallow the question she wanted to ask. Rune, who maintained a blank expression, changed the topic of conversation.
"Did you say you're the youngest wizard? How did you get to know the lord?"
"I built a kite on the northern battlefield. Something inevitably happened where a wizard had to step in."
Rune's eyes narrowed vaguely at the mention of the frost giant war. She didn't want to know what Drial went through on the battlefield, but Cookie's words changed her mind. A wizard participated in the war In which Dreal, not anyone else, participated. She had a bad feeling. She was inclined to find out what happened in the north.
Rune secretly scooped up Cookie.
"Wizards wouldn't go to the magic tower without an oracle, right?"
Cookie responded with a wide smile. Noticing the meaning of his smile, Run slowly lifted her chin.
"Indeed, that's right."
The Magic Tower was always a place that had to remain neutral, so it did not get involved in human affairs. However, If there was an oracle, one could participate in wars started by humans.
Cookie didn't answer clearly, but Rune was certain that the gods had given an oracle to the Magic Tower.
And that meant, in other words, that the Frost Giant War was a huge battle that would completely change the history of Middle-earth.
Rune was trying to get more information, but she was worried that there were too many eyes watching, so she gave up on deep conversation.
Before she knew it, the young servants who had gathered were peeking at Cookies with envious eyes, Rune motioned for Cookie to follow her
"If I had known you were coming, I would have given you a proper welcome, but I am sorry."
"Ah. You didn't know I was coming?"
"If I had known, I wouldn't have greeted you so hastily."
Rune clicked his tongue and looked for Drial. She can't believe she welcomes guests like this. She felt sorry and ashamed and could not raise her head.
Just then, Drial came down the stairs with Lares. Drial, spotting Cookie, waved his hand.
"I found a nice room. It's a place with a great view."
Drial spoke innocently, not knowing Rune's speed. Cookie whispered, looking at Rune's eyes.
"Ma'am. Not all wind elementals are as tactless as that one. Please don't misunderstand."
"It's a blessing in disguise."
Cookie laughed a little at the response that seemed to have given up on a lot of things.
"By the way, Ma'am. There's one thing I'd like to ask. The Lord said that there were no incidents of this kind in Arhon, but..."
Cookie trailed off and blew up the wind to block out the surrounding sounds so that no one could hear the conversation. His skill in controlling the wind was comparable to that of Drial.
Rune instinctively felt suspicious. Cookie was a wizard, not a wind Elementalist. Could a wizard command spirits?
Rune looked away from Drial and glanced at Cookie. Cookie ventriloquized, tilting his head towards Rune.
"Has a corpse ever come back to life?"
At that moment, a letter from Emur Village came to mind.
Rune muttered as he processed the gaze.
"Not yet."
Cookie smiled at the meaningful answer. As rumored, Rune Helid was a very smart and quick-witted person.
"Yes. I will keep your words in mind, Madam."
The wind scattered like grains of sand. Drial, feeling that energy stopped and looked at Cookie.
Drial looked wary, fearing that Cookie might have said something.
He didn't know if he wanted to hide what happened on the battlefield or if he wanted to keep secret the events that would soon occur in Arhon.
What is clear is that Drial is hiding more than Rune expected.
"What did you two talk about except me?"
"It means you don't notice."
When Rune passed Cookie and blurted out, Drial smiled and agreed.
"That's my charm."
Rune sighed and introduced Cookies to Lares, who came down with Drial.
It was only for a moment, but the way Cookie and Lares looked at each other was unusual.
How should she explain that gaze?
It was the awkwardness you felt when you reunited naked with a childhood friend you had lost touch with in a temple bathhouse for the first time in decades.
Cookie raised his eyebrows as he stared at Lares. It was a questioning look, asking why on earth you were here.
Lares calmly ignored Cookie's gaze.
"Lares."
At that moment, Rune called Lares. Lares quickly approached Rune.
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Someone important is here, so prepare a dinner. I told all the castle managers to attend."
Lares bowed his head. Rune then looked at Drial. Her gaze was harsh.
"Dreal Stein."
When the first and last names were called at the same time, married men who were snooping around to eavesdrop on the conversation were visibly shocked.
"Follow me."
Drial was taken aback by the cold words.
"Why...?"
Rune, who was about to go up the stairs, approached Drial. Drial took a step back without realizing it with his wide strides.
Rune stood in front of Drial, poking his broad, sturdy chest with her index finger and muttering softly.
"You should have told me in advance that guests were coming. What would I be if I treated a guest like this, if I treated a magician, let alone someone else, in such a crude way? I am still your only wife. What on earth do you think of my existence?"
"Ah..."
Drial sighed as he realized.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to ignore you. I just don't want you to worry... Are you mad? I said I was sorry. Wait a minute, where are you going! You have to forgive me and go!"
Drial quickly chased after Rune, who entered the main castle alone. Drial's voice repeatedly called Rune's name.
Cookie looked back at Lares, thinking that the Arhon lord and his wife were on good terms, contrary to rumors.
A stern smile appeared on his previously smiling face.
"Was the last time I saw you a hundred years ago? Nice to meet you again. I heard you were called by some name here, was it Lares? Anyway, it's been a while so I'm glad... Should we have a serious conversation?"
***
Arhon was a small territory in the east. Because the village was small and monsters appeared frequently, the villagers stepped up to help each other whenever something happened.
The permanent residents had strong bonds with each other as they endured difficult times and endured on the frontier.
However, there was one problem. Rumors spread quickly.
Whether it was a good rumor or a bad rumor, everything that happened in Arhon reached the ears of all residents within a day.
"I heard you can pay off your debt within this week! How many times should I tell you! Soon, my younger sister will become the lord's concubine!"
Hecteon shouted at the gatekeepers of the gambling house who were trying to kick him out.
Hecteon must have been very angry at being treated like a debtor, pointing a finger at the gatekeeper.
"Didn't you hear the rumor? My sister is the bitch who had a love affair with the lord. The Lord said he came to visit my younger sister in person. It would be ridiculous to pay off that debt if my younger sister were to marry him!"
The gatekeepers did not budge. Hecteon's debt to the gambling house was over several thousand silver coins. It was an amount that an ordinary person could not easily repay.
Hecteon took all the money Terea earned and threw it all into a gambling den. As if that wasn't enough, he got into debt and enjoyed gambling.
The owner of the gambling house has already sent a warning to Hecteon. If you don't repay the money within this month, they will cut off your limbs and use them as bait to attract monsters.
Nevertheless, Hecteon was confident that everything would work out now that Drial had returned.
There was a good reason why Hecteon was so confident.
When Drial, who ran away from the wedding, returned on his own, soldiers from the Stein family captured Terea.
The Stein family misunderstood Terea as the woman who had run away with Drial and ordered her to leave the city, giving her money.
Without even asking why Terea was on that escape route.
In fact, the Stein family attempted to execute Terea and her family. However, people considered it taboo to see blood before a sacred wedding.
In addition, the wind spiritist who was blinded by love was considered very dangerous, so in order to solve the problem, they paid money to drive her out. The money the Stein family gave at that time was a thousand silver coins. That was exactly what Hecteon believed in.
Terea protested that she had nothing to do with Drial and said she should return the money, but no one in her family believed her.
Hecteon was confident that DriaI would provide money for Terea again this time.
Hecteon spat on the floor and swore at the gatekeepers.
"We'll see later. I'll see if you guys still look down on me like that even after my younger sister enters that true nature!"
Once Hecteon left, the commotion in the back alley quieted down.
The gatekeepers did not follow him, but the guards patrolling the back alleys followed Hecteon with disapproving eyes.
"A concubine to the lord? What are you talking about? That...."
One Guardian muttered dissatisfied.
While trying to protect Arhon, Rune had a miscarriage and became infertile. But then the lord abandons her and takes a concubine.
The guardian suppressed his anger as if his sister had been abandoned by her husband.
"Check out that bastard. I need to know what kind of rumor is going around in Arhon that makes a gambler say something like that."
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