To be honest, Rubea had not given up her position as Duchess of Belfort until a little while ago. She indeed owes her life to Sylvia, but that and the work in the North are different. So, although she really didn't feel like it, she tried to return Sylvia to her place by seducing Randall if necessary.
'That face...'
Randall had an unfamiliar face even to Rubia, who had seen him since he was born. The moment she saw that face, Rubia couldn't help but have doubts.
'Is it possible to change the heart of someone with a face like that?'
impossible. As soon as she thought of the question, an answer appeared in her mind.
“Let’s go back, Ma’am.”
Because Randall truly had the appearance of a young man in love.
***
In the North, whenever there was a large gathering such as a banquet, they would end it with hunting. It was part of training and preparation for battles with monsters, eliminating in advance wild beasts and beasts that could pose a threat to the lives of the people. In the same vein, the banquet held at Belfort Castle concluded with a small hunting competition between vassals.
Traditionally, hunting competitions in the North consist of two events. The first of them was the eve. The day before the main hunting competition, people held a banquet in the forest at sunset to coincide with the hunt to relax. Sylvia sat under the tent prepared for those attending the eve and muttered seriously.
“My husband has been a bit... lately... He seems strange.”
“My husband has been a bit... lately... He seems strange.”
To be exact, it happened a few days ago after the day she went out with Rubia. She heard that he brought a very strange-looking doll that day.
"It's a gift. It is a branch of a tree that grows only in the northern part of the country, and it is said to be good for your health if you boil it and eat it..."
From the next day onwards, he brought strange gifts and flowers from somewhere, one by one every day. Although it was not an ordinary gift, Sylvia was a person who was good at reading unusual omens as she lived for a long time.
"...No way."
On the day Randall gave her a bouquet for the third time, she trembled at an ominous thought. At that time, Sylvia was distraught as she looked at the bouquet in her hand. Thelma came into her room, found the bouquet, and shouted energetically.
"Oh my, it's a marigold! If dried well, it can also be used as a medicinal tea."
"Well, that's right."
The anxiety of 'I guess Randall wasn't serious' disappeared without a trace after those words. Of course, she said first, 'Let's try to like him.' That was just bait thrown by her to make the first night of the night run smoothly.
Fortunately, Randall seemed to regard Sylvia as nothing more than a dandelion seed in his front yard that would fly away if he blew on it. Like this, she can see him handing out medicinal herbs under the guise of a gift.
'It seems like my worries are getting worse these days.'
Meanwhile, Rubia, who happened to be sitting next to Sylvia, asked with a smile tinged with subtle irritation.
“...So what is your purpose in telling me that now?”
Sylvia tilted her head with a vaguely innocent expression.
“Can’t we even talk about this much between friends? Still, I think we’re pretty close.”
“What nonsense. Have you never made a friend? People like this aren't usually called friends...”
"Oh yeah? I didn't know. I don’t have any friends.”
“..."
Rubia unconsciously kept her mouth shut. She felt like she would become a huge piece of trash if she said 'We are not friends' here and now.
'...I don't think the Duke is in a position to say anything strange.'
Isn’t that a match made in heaven?
'It seems like my worries are getting worse these days.'
Meanwhile, Rubia, who happened to be sitting next to Sylvia, asked with a smile tinged with subtle irritation.
“...So what is your purpose in telling me that now?”
Sylvia tilted her head with a vaguely innocent expression.
“Can’t we even talk about this much between friends? Still, I think we’re pretty close.”
“What nonsense. Have you never made a friend? People like this aren't usually called friends...”
"Oh yeah? I didn't know. I don’t have any friends.”
“..."
Rubia unconsciously kept her mouth shut. She felt like she would become a huge piece of trash if she said 'We are not friends' here and now.
'...I don't think the Duke is in a position to say anything strange.'
Isn’t that a match made in heaven?
Anyway, Rubia felt like she was losing her mind as she was with a strange person. Sylvia opened her eyes wide as Rubia stood up from her seat, shaking her head to shake off her idle thoughts.
“Is the Lady also participating in the eve hunt directly?"
“I guess it’s better than continuing to sit here and listen to Madam brag about her husband.”
“Are I bragging?”
“Anyway, let’s go. Don’t follow me.”
“Oh, wait a minute.”
At that time, Sylvia reached out and grabbed Rubia's sleeve. She lifted herself up, touched the ribbon that adorned Rubia's neck, and smiled.
“Because the ribbon is loose.”
“...Thank you."
Rubia answered hesitantly. Sylvia waved her hand and waved her off, wishing her a good trip. She separated from Sylvia, and Rubia, carrying her bow and entering the forest where the eve was taking place, wrinkled her face.
“Anyway, an annoying person.”
She couldn't shake the feeling that she was always strangely involved when she was with Sylvia. Along with Philia Sacredrin, Rubia is secretly considered to be the best in the North in terms of strength. But Sylvia was more than just powerful, there was a strange sense of intimidation that made it impossible to treat her carelessly.
Rubea soon clicked his tongue and focused on hunting. As she is the kind of person who can't live without losing, it was impossible for her not to catch even one fish, even if it was just a warm-up eve. However, even though a considerable amount of time had passed, there was no trace of useful game to be found.
'Should I go a little further inside?'
Rubia walked deeper into the forest, thinking that her luck was not very good today. How long has it been since she explored her surroundings while muffling her footsteps?
'Found it.'
Rubia, who sensed a small presence, held her breath and walked toward the place where the presence was felt. Hiding her body among the bushes and peering out through the leaves, she blinked in wonder.
'Father?'
She thought it was the presence of an animal, but the familiar back figure that came into view was clearly that of the Marquis Glever. Rubia found it strange that he, who had no interest in hunting, had entered this deep forest, so she tried to call him. However, the conversation she immediately heard made her freeze.
“...There won’t be any problems.”
"Of course. Didn’t we see it at the banquet hall last time? Even though it is not yet possible to cause distortion where desired, it has become possible to some extent to predict the approximate location.”
A sharp and cheerful voice answered Marquis Glever’s question. Rubia instinctively held her breath at the inexplicable ominousness in that voice. She rolled her eyes and looked over her shoulder at the Marquis of Glever, her eyes wide in horror. Purple skin, pitch black eyes with a long, slit red pupil in the middle.
'...Demons?'
The man floating leisurely in the air in front of Marquis Glever was undoubtedly a demon.
‘Why did my father have a demon...?'
The sound of her heart pounding filled her ears. Rubia desperately tried to rack her brain and make sense of the situation before her.
'Banquet hall? Predict the location of the twist? Could it be that the attack at the banquet hall...'
A dizzying shock struck her as the assumption passed through her head in an instant. Meanwhile, the conversation between the Marquis and the demon continued. Marquis Glever spoke in a low voice.
“You must keep your promises.”
“Ah, I understand. I will take revenge on that bastard Randall, and you will become the master of the North in his stead. Anyway, what is this human desire for honor?”
“Didn’t you also join hands with me to cut off Randall’s head and escape from the position of a low-level demon?”
“How arrogant. Anyway, I won’t say a word.”
The demon clicked its tongue and turned its body once in the air. A triangular, clawed tail swayed behind his back. From that movement, Rubia noticed the identity of the demon. Playful voice, and a boyish appearance at first glance. Tail with triangular claws.
'Low-class demon Rapold.'
Rubia quietly chewed her lips. Low-level demon Rapold. He was a demon who went through a twist a few years ago. However, as he was a low-level demon, his power was weak, so he could not control his desire to fight and ran towards Randall, but ran away just before he was killed.
"Just wait and see, you arrogant human! Next time, I will definitely rip that shiny face into pieces!"
After leaving those words and disappearing, he came back and attacked Randall, and then ran away again, almost to death. How many times did he repeat that?
'Should I go a little further inside?'
Rubia walked deeper into the forest, thinking that her luck was not very good today. How long has it been since she explored her surroundings while muffling her footsteps?
'Found it.'
Rubia, who sensed a small presence, held her breath and walked toward the place where the presence was felt. Hiding her body among the bushes and peering out through the leaves, she blinked in wonder.
'Father?'
She thought it was the presence of an animal, but the familiar back figure that came into view was clearly that of the Marquis Glever. Rubia found it strange that he, who had no interest in hunting, had entered this deep forest, so she tried to call him. However, the conversation she immediately heard made her freeze.
“...There won’t be any problems.”
"Of course. Didn’t we see it at the banquet hall last time? Even though it is not yet possible to cause distortion where desired, it has become possible to some extent to predict the approximate location.”
A sharp and cheerful voice answered Marquis Glever’s question. Rubia instinctively held her breath at the inexplicable ominousness in that voice. She rolled her eyes and looked over her shoulder at the Marquis of Glever, her eyes wide in horror. Purple skin, pitch black eyes with a long, slit red pupil in the middle.
'...Demons?'
The man floating leisurely in the air in front of Marquis Glever was undoubtedly a demon.
‘Why did my father have a demon...?'
The sound of her heart pounding filled her ears. Rubia desperately tried to rack her brain and make sense of the situation before her.
'Banquet hall? Predict the location of the twist? Could it be that the attack at the banquet hall...'
A dizzying shock struck her as the assumption passed through her head in an instant. Meanwhile, the conversation between the Marquis and the demon continued. Marquis Glever spoke in a low voice.
“You must keep your promises.”
“Ah, I understand. I will take revenge on that bastard Randall, and you will become the master of the North in his stead. Anyway, what is this human desire for honor?”
“Didn’t you also join hands with me to cut off Randall’s head and escape from the position of a low-level demon?”
“How arrogant. Anyway, I won’t say a word.”
The demon clicked its tongue and turned its body once in the air. A triangular, clawed tail swayed behind his back. From that movement, Rubia noticed the identity of the demon. Playful voice, and a boyish appearance at first glance. Tail with triangular claws.
'Low-class demon Rapold.'
Rubia quietly chewed her lips. Low-level demon Rapold. He was a demon who went through a twist a few years ago. However, as he was a low-level demon, his power was weak, so he could not control his desire to fight and ran towards Randall, but ran away just before he was killed.
"Just wait and see, you arrogant human! Next time, I will definitely rip that shiny face into pieces!"
After leaving those words and disappearing, he came back and attacked Randall, and then ran away again, almost to death. How many times did he repeat that?
Now, even little children in the North can understand that when you say ‘Male Rapold,’ you are talking about him.
'You said you haven't seen anything strange lately, so maybe you were studying torsion?'
Rubia stared through the bushes at the place where Rapold's heart was located. She unconsciously gained strength in her hand holding the bow.
'If it's now...'
If I kill Lapold now, wouldn't it be possible to cover up my father's serious crime of collaborating with demons?
'You said you haven't seen anything strange lately, so maybe you were studying torsion?'
Rubia stared through the bushes at the place where Rapold's heart was located. She unconsciously gained strength in her hand holding the bow.
'If it's now...'
If I kill Lapold now, wouldn't it be possible to cover up my father's serious crime of collaborating with demons?
While Rubia was conflicted over those thoughts, Marquis Glever issued a warning with an expressionless face.
“If you make a mistake, it will be difficult for you and me to survive...”
“If you make a mistake, it will be difficult for you and me to survive...”
"For a moment."
At that time, Rapold suddenly frowned and interrupted the Marquis. The Marquis twisted his face as if he were displeased, but kept his mouth shut. In an instant, silence came. Rapold narrowed his eyes and looked around him.
“I have a bad feeling.”
Her heart sank at those words. Rubia held her breath, wondering if she had made a mark.
“...!”
At that moment, Rapold's head turned. The red gaze was focused precisely on the place where Rubia hid her body. The moment she reflexively pulled her bowstring out of fear, his whisper penetrated her ear.
“Who is this? I thought you were a ghost, but you’re the Marquis’ daughter, right?”
"OMG."
Rubia let out the breath she had been holding without realizing it and bit herself. The wind shook the bushes and made a rustling sound. In the blink of an eye, Rapold came within a stone's throw of her, rolled his eyes mischievously, and raised his voice.
“Hey, Marquis! Is your daughter here? Judging by her reaction, it seems like she heard everything we had to say.”
“...What?"
The Marquis lost his composure for a moment. With his face set in a frightening tone, he walked away with great strides. Eventually, he found Rubia sitting down among the bushes and roughly grabbed her by the shoulders.
“What is this...?! Why on earth are you here!”
"Father...”
“No, that’s enough. There's no need to say much. I’ll see you tomorrow then, Rapold.”
“Okay, bye.”
"Father!"
The Marquis strongly grabbed the wrist of the rebellious Rubia and nodded at Rapold. Rapold let them go, smiling heartily as if he had enjoyed what he had seen.
“Father, wait a minute. Father!"
“Follow me.”
Rubia was dragged by the Marquis' hand and desperately tried to talk to him. However, when the Marquis focused on heading to a deserted place without saying a word, she eventually became angry.
"Father! Do you know what father has done now? Why...!”
“You can’t be quiet!”
Rubia flinched and shook her shoulders in surprise at the sight of the Marquis, who had always been calm, scolding her lowly. When the Marquis saw that there was no sign of presence around him, he threw away Rubia's hand. He let out a wheezing breath and ran a hand through his hair haphazardly.
“What are you doing? What reason do I need to take back what is mine?”
Rubia was speechless when she saw the Marquis' eyes filled with desire and anger. The Marquis held Rubia's shoulders and whispered strongly.
“Rubia. Before Belfort appeared, we were the masters of the North. It was Glever.”
“...”
“There is one day left. After just one day, you will no longer have to worry about becoming a Duchess. This is all for us.”
Rubia looked at the Marquis with an indescribable expression and muttered in despair.
“The reason I was anxious about becoming a Duchess was to protect the honor of Glever and the North. But my father ruined it all.”
However, the Marquis, blinded by desire, ultimately pushes Rubia away with a cold face.
“You still haven’t come to your senses. There is no turning back anyway. If this spreads outside, you will eventually die as well, so don’t use your mouth carelessly.”
The Marquis turned and disappeared without leaving those words. Rubia, left alone in the forest, gritted her teeth to hold back her anger. The Marquis' words echoed eerily in his mind.
"If this spreads outside, you will eventually die as well, so don't use your mouth carelessly."
“...”
Rubia, who had been standing like a stone statue for a long time, took her steps only just before the forest was immersed in complete darkness. As she left the forest, a pitch-black shadow billowed across the floor beneath her feet.
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