It was somewhat like speaking to a grandson. Randall came to his senses at the sound of that voice and relaxed his hands. He lifted his head and looked at the face of the person in front of him. He said it with a hollow laugh.
“Marquis of Sacrine. Long time no see."
“Sacred of Malta meets the master of Belfort. How have you been, Duke?”
A middle-aged man with auburn hair and blue eyes smiled kindly. He was the Marquis of Malta Sacrine, one of the influential vassals of the Duke of Belfort. Randall stood up and welcomed him with a light hug.
“Marquis, how have you been? What about Philia?”
“Don’t even talk. She was crazy to go down to the South to watch the war in the first place. This little colt will break her legs or something when she gets back.”
The Marquis shook his head and muttered violently. Randall couldn't bear to stop him and remained silent. His daughter and Randall's childhood friend, Philia Seiklin, was currently away, saying she was going to watch the war of conquest taking place in the south. How could a Young Lady, the daughter of a Marquis, witness war?
The Marquis jumped and almost locked Philia in her room to stop her, but she eventually escaped from the mansion on her own and stormed off. Still, it would have been more exciting to send greeting letters regularly.
“But she said she would come back when she heard about the Duke’s marriage. I didn’t provide any support, so it will take a little longer to get back to the north.”
Marquis Sacrine sighed deeply. Randall subtly changed the subject to ease the older Marquis's anger.
“What is the situation in the South?”
“It is said that it is almost finished. They say the Crown Prince is running wild like a crazy person.”
“Sigh.”
Randall almost burst out laughing at the explicit expression, but hastily covered his expression. But he couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from turning up. Originally, this would have been an expression that would have resulted in arrest for insulting the royal family, but this is the North. It was a place where no one could be criticized for having some antipathy toward the royal family.
Marquis Sacrine and Randall looked at each other and naturally laughed at the Crown Prince. Sylvia, who was dealing with his vassals on one side of him, glanced back at Randall at the smile.
'...It looks good.'
'...It looks good.'
Randall was chatting with the middle-aged retainer, not frivolously, but with an extremely gentle smile. Sylvia found it fascinating to see Randall like that sometimes, no, actually, he was quite often like that. Usually, the higher a person's status is, the more anxious he is to show that he is different from others. However, Randall never lost his simplicity even though he was at the pinnacle of nobility, in fact a position similar to royalty. It did not mean that he lacked the dignity or dignity of a lord. Just... It could be said that the person he meets is viewed as a human being. It feels like he just sees the people in front of him as they are, whether they are commoners or nobles. Because of this, to be honest, Sylvia often felt embarrassed under Randall's gaze. Obviously, that person doesn't know about her. She felt like her innermost being would be read just by standing in front of him. So she might want to avoid it even more. Because he is an upright person, unlike her, who is very twisted.
'It would be nice if I could just do my duty quickly and not see it.'
Sylvia swallowed an embarrassed sigh. She was embarrassed in many ways because the more she was with him, the more she forgot her purpose. But now it was in front of the vassals. In order to avoid unnecessary friction, it was not enough to show that she and Randall were on good terms as much as possible.
Sylvia collected her thoughts and put a picturesque smile on her lips again. The nobles, who had been waiting for their turn, approached her and bowed to greet her.
“Congratulations on your marriage, Duchess. This is Garnet Glever.”
Standing in front of Sylvia were a middle-aged man and a young woman with similar blonde hair and dark eyes. Sylvia smiled as she realized that they were one of Belfort's influential vassals, whom Thelma had told her about before the banquet.
He gritted his teeth, his eyes shining brightly. The decorative sword placed under the Duke's chair cut straight off the monster's head. The knights who rushed in after hearing the sound of the emergency bell stopped the monsters and evacuated the people. Auston also did his best to separate monsters from people.
“Congratulations on your marriage, Duchess. This is Garnet Glever.”
Standing in front of Sylvia were a middle-aged man and a young woman with similar blonde hair and dark eyes. Sylvia smiled as she realized that they were one of Belfort's influential vassals, whom Thelma had told her about before the banquet.
“Thank you, Marquis Glever. Is the lady next to you the Lady of Glever?”
"That's right."
Sylvia turned her gaze to a woman of her own age standing next to the man. Long blond hair curving down to her waist, and bright purple eyes. A straight back. She was a woman who seemed to be a literal translation of the word 'noble'. The woman had a beautiful face and graceful manners.
“Rubia Glever sends greetings, Duchess.”
That was the end. The woman pulled herself up again and she just stood there with perfect posture.
“...”
Sylvia's eyes narrowed as she sensed something subtle in her attitude.
“I will take a moment to say hello to the Lord. They are exchanging greetings.”
Meanwhile, Marquis Glever said hello to Randall and left, leaving the two of them behind. Seeing Randall greet him without hesitation, Sylvia realizes once again that he is an influential vassal.
"That's right."
Sylvia turned her gaze to a woman of her own age standing next to the man. Long blond hair curving down to her waist, and bright purple eyes. A straight back. She was a woman who seemed to be a literal translation of the word 'noble'. The woman had a beautiful face and graceful manners.
“Rubia Glever sends greetings, Duchess.”
That was the end. The woman pulled herself up again and she just stood there with perfect posture.
“...”
Sylvia's eyes narrowed as she sensed something subtle in her attitude.
“I will take a moment to say hello to the Lord. They are exchanging greetings.”
Meanwhile, Marquis Glever said hello to Randall and left, leaving the two of them behind. Seeing Randall greet him without hesitation, Sylvia realizes once again that he is an influential vassal.
Sylvia withdrew her sidelong glance at Randall and stared into Rubia's eyes without saying a word. Then, Rubia also met her without avoiding her gaze, as if she was trying to explore her. It wasn't long before Sylvia noticed a familiar look in her eyes and smiled inwardly.
'You're that kid.'
She has experienced many things through multiple reincarnations. Among them, there were those who were so loyal to their master that they actually went against the master's will. Rubia had the eyes of just such people. A tribe that is so blinded by their own loyalty that they forget their owner's will and rush in. So it wasn't that difficult to anticipate what would come out of her mouth.
'I guess she doesn't like me.'
At that time, Rubia gently lifted the corners of her mouth and smiled. She didn't have a good laugh.
"Princess. May I dare to ask you one thing?”
“Try it.”
“Ma’am, do you know how many people die in the North each year?”
Sylvia just looked at Rubia with an unreadable face. She spoke sweetly as if she wasn't expecting any other answer.
“You don’t know. Ma'am has probably lived a life that has nothing to do with the North.”
“...”
“The Duke now desperately needs help. Marriage is a good way to expand his power. However, Ma'am's parents are His Majesty's most loyal subjects. Do you dare to guess how great an opportunity the North has missed through this marriage?”
Rubia's eyes were calm and unwavering. The purple eyes were quietly burning with a bit of contempt and anger. There was certainly nothing wrong with what she said. The northern position is not strong. It is as dangerous as a candle in the wind. With the King keeping the North in check at all times, the only way for them to protect themselves was to solidify their power through marriage.
'You're that kid.'
She has experienced many things through multiple reincarnations. Among them, there were those who were so loyal to their master that they actually went against the master's will. Rubia had the eyes of just such people. A tribe that is so blinded by their own loyalty that they forget their owner's will and rush in. So it wasn't that difficult to anticipate what would come out of her mouth.
'I guess she doesn't like me.'
At that time, Rubia gently lifted the corners of her mouth and smiled. She didn't have a good laugh.
"Princess. May I dare to ask you one thing?”
“Try it.”
“Ma’am, do you know how many people die in the North each year?”
Sylvia just looked at Rubia with an unreadable face. She spoke sweetly as if she wasn't expecting any other answer.
“You don’t know. Ma'am has probably lived a life that has nothing to do with the North.”
“...”
“The Duke now desperately needs help. Marriage is a good way to expand his power. However, Ma'am's parents are His Majesty's most loyal subjects. Do you dare to guess how great an opportunity the North has missed through this marriage?”
Rubia's eyes were calm and unwavering. The purple eyes were quietly burning with a bit of contempt and anger. There was certainly nothing wrong with what she said. The northern position is not strong. It is as dangerous as a candle in the wind. With the King keeping the North in check at all times, the only way for them to protect themselves was to solidify their power through marriage.
Among these, the position of the Duchess of Belfort was particularly important. She grew up experiencing firsthand the reality of the North, which is full of monsters and demons, and she is someone who can lead and command this barren North. As she was the mistress of the Belfort family, the masters of the North, it was only right that the daughter of the family, who could provide the most help to the North, should rise to that position. She is Rubia herself, or at least she is Philia Sacrine, who is known for being a tomboy.
However, the one who took the place of the Duchess of Belfort was a woman so slender that she seemed as if she could fly away when the wind blew. The woman was even Belfort's enemy, a member of the King's most trusted family. How could Rubia accept that Sylvia was Belfort's subject? That was something she would never say.
'This much will be enough for you to understand. If you really care for my lord, you should step down now.'
Rubia gazed at Sylvia with a gentle smile. She was a woman who looked like a dandelion seed that would fly away with the wind from her mouth anyway. She would easily be embarrassed by just this level of criticism. And she'll feel guilty. If Sylvia collapses because she can't stand what she says, it will be an opportunity to show her weakness to those gathered here. Rubia was sure of that. But her confidence was soon overturned.
"So?"
“... Yes?"
“If you tell me that, will this marriage never happen?”
Rubia couldn't believe her ears for a moment. But Sylvia was smiling. Rubia unconsciously shook her shoulders at that laugh that strangely seemed to suffocate a person.
'What?'
It was a time when she was inwardly embarrassed by Sylvia's suddenly changed mood. Sylvia said, twirling her glass in her hand as if Sylvia were playing with it.
“If you cannot recognize me as a Duchess, then report that directly to His Majesty. His Majesty is not the type of person to blindly ignore something just because it is different from what you want.”
"That...!”
“It is cowardly of you to criticize me when you know that it was not I or my husband who initiated this marriage.”
Rubia stopped breathing and froze as if struck by lightning at those words. Sylvia continued her words calmly, looking at Rubia, who seemed to be shocked by something about her.
“And can we only see the solidarity of the North as a good thing?”
“...”
“Stagnant water will eventually rot. From that perspective, isn't it just that I've come to lead a new trend? Unless you’re trying to turn the entire kingdom into an enemy.”
Rubia's face distorted. The noble smile she had on her face the whole time collapsed helplessly. It was the moment when Rubia pressed her lips to refute what she was saying. Suddenly, a faint light appeared in the air between Sylvia and Rubia. Before the two people who recognized it could do anything, letters quickly passed by where the light appeared, and soon a round circle appeared in the air. Moving magic circle.
“Why is that here...”
Rubia mutters absentmindedly. The castle bell rings urgently. The monster's claws tear through the magic circle and come out. She didn't know which of the three came first. The first thing Sylvia thought at that moment was.
'Can I die?'
The question was whether this time, she would be able to reach the death she so longed for.
"What are you doing! You should avoid it right away...!”
As Sylvia froze for a moment and just stared at the monster, Rubia screamed and pulled her away. It was immediately after that that the monster that came out of the magic circle found them and swung a foot the size of a saint.
'Ah.'
In the feeling that time passes slowly. Sylvia thought of many things in a split second.
'This much will be enough for you to understand. If you really care for my lord, you should step down now.'
Rubia gazed at Sylvia with a gentle smile. She was a woman who looked like a dandelion seed that would fly away with the wind from her mouth anyway. She would easily be embarrassed by just this level of criticism. And she'll feel guilty. If Sylvia collapses because she can't stand what she says, it will be an opportunity to show her weakness to those gathered here. Rubia was sure of that. But her confidence was soon overturned.
"So?"
“... Yes?"
“If you tell me that, will this marriage never happen?”
Rubia couldn't believe her ears for a moment. But Sylvia was smiling. Rubia unconsciously shook her shoulders at that laugh that strangely seemed to suffocate a person.
'What?'
It was a time when she was inwardly embarrassed by Sylvia's suddenly changed mood. Sylvia said, twirling her glass in her hand as if Sylvia were playing with it.
“If you cannot recognize me as a Duchess, then report that directly to His Majesty. His Majesty is not the type of person to blindly ignore something just because it is different from what you want.”
"That...!”
“It is cowardly of you to criticize me when you know that it was not I or my husband who initiated this marriage.”
Rubia stopped breathing and froze as if struck by lightning at those words. Sylvia continued her words calmly, looking at Rubia, who seemed to be shocked by something about her.
“And can we only see the solidarity of the North as a good thing?”
“...”
“Stagnant water will eventually rot. From that perspective, isn't it just that I've come to lead a new trend? Unless you’re trying to turn the entire kingdom into an enemy.”
Rubia's face distorted. The noble smile she had on her face the whole time collapsed helplessly. It was the moment when Rubia pressed her lips to refute what she was saying. Suddenly, a faint light appeared in the air between Sylvia and Rubia. Before the two people who recognized it could do anything, letters quickly passed by where the light appeared, and soon a round circle appeared in the air. Moving magic circle.
“Why is that here...”
Rubia mutters absentmindedly. The castle bell rings urgently. The monster's claws tear through the magic circle and come out. She didn't know which of the three came first. The first thing Sylvia thought at that moment was.
'Can I die?'
The question was whether this time, she would be able to reach the death she so longed for.
"What are you doing! You should avoid it right away...!”
As Sylvia froze for a moment and just stared at the monster, Rubia screamed and pulled her away. It was immediately after that that the monster that came out of the magic circle found them and swung a foot the size of a saint.
'Ah.'
In the feeling that time passes slowly. Sylvia thought of many things in a split second.
Is now my ‘time to die’?
There was a way to be sure of this without offending God. Sylvia took one look at the monster's claws heading towards Rubia's back and stretched out her hand to pull Rubia towards her. Rubia spun around to face Sylvia right in front of her, her purple eyes widening in surprise.
Sigh-!
“Ugh...”
“Ugh...”
The next moment, the monster's claws ran down Sylvia's back.
She gritted her teeth and swallowed a moan at the pain of her flesh being torn apart. It all happened so quickly that it was only moments later that Randall let out an angry outburst.
“Sylvia!”
Randall let out a voice so loud that it rang throughout the banquet hall and ran towards her. Auston, who recognized the situation at a similar speed to Randall, freaked out and placed a barrier over Rubia and Sylvia. Thanks to this, the two became temporarily safe from the monsters pouring out of the magic circle.
“Aaaah!”
She gritted her teeth and swallowed a moan at the pain of her flesh being torn apart. It all happened so quickly that it was only moments later that Randall let out an angry outburst.
“Sylvia!”
Randall let out a voice so loud that it rang throughout the banquet hall and ran towards her. Auston, who recognized the situation at a similar speed to Randall, freaked out and placed a barrier over Rubia and Sylvia. Thanks to this, the two became temporarily safe from the monsters pouring out of the magic circle.
“Aaaah!”
“Ma, ma, it’s a monster!”
"Damage!"
The banquet hall quickly became chaos. Aside from the monsters that attacked Sylvia and Rubia, monsters that looked dozens of years old appeared through the magic circle. Randall tried to run straight towards Sylvia, but he couldn't because the monsters were rushing at him one after another.
“Get out of the way.”
"Damage!"
The banquet hall quickly became chaos. Aside from the monsters that attacked Sylvia and Rubia, monsters that looked dozens of years old appeared through the magic circle. Randall tried to run straight towards Sylvia, but he couldn't because the monsters were rushing at him one after another.
“Get out of the way.”
He gritted his teeth, his eyes shining brightly. The decorative sword placed under the Duke's chair cut straight off the monster's head. The knights who rushed in after hearing the sound of the emergency bell stopped the monsters and evacuated the people. Auston also did his best to separate monsters from people.
Meanwhile, Rubia was trembling as she held Sylvia, who seemed to be dead, in her arms.
“Ma’am. Come to your senses! Ma'am!"
Rubia let out a sharp cry and tore off her petticoats with trembling hands. The wind caused the small jewel that was tangled at the end of her skirt to roll across the floor in a mess. Even though Rubia was on the verge of fainting from shock, she did as she had been taught and placed a clean cloth over Sylvia's wound and tied the torn shawl tightly around her back. At that time, the Marquis of Glever, who had disappeared saying he was going to say hello to Randall, appeared with a shocked face.
“Rubia!”
Because the monsters were focused on the fleeing man and Randall, Marquis Glever was able to get close to them.
“Why on earth did you... !”
He sighed in contemplation and looked to see if Rubia was injured. But all the while, Rubia's gaze was fixed on Sylvia.
“Ma’am, you can’t close your eyes now. Ma'am!"
At that time, the Marquis, who was looking around, saw the jewel rolling on the floor and his face slightly stiffened.
“Damn, how on earth should I handle this?”
The words were so close to cursing that the pronunciation could not be heard clearly. However, Sylvia, who was lying with her face on Rubea's lap, heard part of what he said while she was barely conscious and frowned.
‘Handle this...?'
At that time, the wound on her back started throbbing greatly. Sylvia gritted her teeth and blinked her eyes, and over Rubia's shoulder, she saw Randall running toward her after defeating the monster.
'Ah.'
At that moment, Sylvia understood why people treated Randall with friendliness but sometimes showed signs of fear.
‘That kind of face... He was someone who knew how to do it.'
As soon as Sylvia thought about that when she saw Randall's face frozen to the point of being frightening, she lost consciousness.
“Ma’am. Come to your senses! Ma'am!"
Rubia let out a sharp cry and tore off her petticoats with trembling hands. The wind caused the small jewel that was tangled at the end of her skirt to roll across the floor in a mess. Even though Rubia was on the verge of fainting from shock, she did as she had been taught and placed a clean cloth over Sylvia's wound and tied the torn shawl tightly around her back. At that time, the Marquis of Glever, who had disappeared saying he was going to say hello to Randall, appeared with a shocked face.
“Rubia!”
Because the monsters were focused on the fleeing man and Randall, Marquis Glever was able to get close to them.
“Why on earth did you... !”
He sighed in contemplation and looked to see if Rubia was injured. But all the while, Rubia's gaze was fixed on Sylvia.
“Ma’am, you can’t close your eyes now. Ma'am!"
At that time, the Marquis, who was looking around, saw the jewel rolling on the floor and his face slightly stiffened.
“Damn, how on earth should I handle this?”
The words were so close to cursing that the pronunciation could not be heard clearly. However, Sylvia, who was lying with her face on Rubea's lap, heard part of what he said while she was barely conscious and frowned.
‘Handle this...?'
At that time, the wound on her back started throbbing greatly. Sylvia gritted her teeth and blinked her eyes, and over Rubia's shoulder, she saw Randall running toward her after defeating the monster.
'Ah.'
At that moment, Sylvia understood why people treated Randall with friendliness but sometimes showed signs of fear.
‘That kind of face... He was someone who knew how to do it.'
As soon as Sylvia thought about that when she saw Randall's face frozen to the point of being frightening, she lost consciousness.
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