Meanwhile, after David ran away from the conference room and disappeared, Sylvia stayed in the capital with Randall and helped with the palace work. The King had been brainwashed by David for a while, so his health had deteriorated rapidly, and he was so distraught over the actions of his trusted son that he was not in a position to properly handle his duties.
“...What’s going on?”
Sylvia managed to squeeze out her voice. However, she could not hide her pale face. Count Florette stopped approaching her when he realized that Sylvia’s face was as pale as if she would collapse at any moment. He took a step back and spoke in a calm voice as if nothing had happened.
“It’s nothing. It’s just... You seem to have lost a lot of weight lately. My wife is worried too.”
“...”
“So, if it’s okay with you, how about stopping by my house and having a meal?”
The moment she heard those words, she felt like tears were about to burst out. Sylvia took a deep breath and strained her eyes. However, her throat was choked up as if she would burst into tears at any moment.
'Why...'
He should be angry. He should be fiercely questioning her, saying that she has been acting so indifferent and heartless up until now and hiding this. But why on earth is he looking at her with such watery eyes...?
"Mom!"
Suddenly, the face of Juliet, the daughter she had in her second life, seemed to flash through her mind. Sylvia was unconsciously moving her lips.
“Count!”
At the end of the hall, a servant called out loudly to the Count. He came running with a thoughtful face but stopped when he saw Sylvia and Auston.
“Oh, the Duchess and Lord Auston were there too. Um, that is...”
“What's going on?”
The Count's face hardened in the ominous atmosphere and he looked at his attendant. Sylvia's eyes, which looked just like the Count's, also sank coldly. The attendant, who had been holding his breath for a moment, closed his eyes tightly as if he had seen something terrible and spoke.
“The culprit is David de Kelmar Lochlen, who is wanted. Murder... case.”
After saying that, Randall brought a blanket and wrapped it around Sylvia. Sylvia chuckled and lifted the blanket that had covered her body and was falling to the floor.
“You come in too. It would be a big problem if you catch a cold.”
That sight suddenly reminded him of what had happened in the small cabin a while ago.
"...Come in."
A dark cabin, shadows cast by the flickering lights...
“That’s not it.”
Before Sylvia could change her words, Randall quickly sat down next to her and wrapped the blanket around her. Sylvia let out a small laugh and leaned her head against Randall’s shoulder. The reason they had suddenly returned from the capital to the Belfort estate was simple.
Normally, when the King was in poor condition, the Crown Prince would take over as King, but now that person had escaped. In addition, the palace magicians and officials who had been following Crown Prince David had been arrested for investigation, so work was literally paralyzed. The nobles of the capital forgot about their dignity and cried, holding onto Randall's pants.
“Help me, Duke of Belfort!”
“If you’re going to respond to the investigation regarding the Demons, you’ll have to stay in the capital anyway! While you’re at it...!”
“Count Florette is doing his best, but he is severely understaffed. Think about saving one person, or rather, several...”
Randall was the leader of the North, which was like a kingdom. Those who lived their whole lives as subjects and those who lived their whole lives as monarchs had to handle things differently. It was natural for the nobles to scream at the flood of work and grab Randall. Anyway, Randall and Sylvia had no intention of returning to the North until David's work and the peace talks with the Demons were definitely concluded. They got a room in the palace and stayed there, gradually sorting out the chaotic situation.
“...Then let’s wrap up today’s meeting here. I’ll get up first.”
Randall, who was sitting at the head of the conference room, handed the documents to Auston, who was standing behind him, and then stood up. He was filling in for the absence of the royal family, interrogating the arrested people, and participating in the search for David, so even ten bodies were not enough.
“Help me, Duke of Belfort!”
“If you’re going to respond to the investigation regarding the Demons, you’ll have to stay in the capital anyway! While you’re at it...!”
“Count Florette is doing his best, but he is severely understaffed. Think about saving one person, or rather, several...”
Randall was the leader of the North, which was like a kingdom. Those who lived their whole lives as subjects and those who lived their whole lives as monarchs had to handle things differently. It was natural for the nobles to scream at the flood of work and grab Randall. Anyway, Randall and Sylvia had no intention of returning to the North until David's work and the peace talks with the Demons were definitely concluded. They got a room in the palace and stayed there, gradually sorting out the chaotic situation.
“...Then let’s wrap up today’s meeting here. I’ll get up first.”
Randall, who was sitting at the head of the conference room, handed the documents to Auston, who was standing behind him, and then stood up. He was filling in for the absence of the royal family, interrogating the arrested people, and participating in the search for David, so even ten bodies were not enough.
Randall, who was about to move as soon as the meeting was over, stopped in his tracks. He leaned over to Sylvia, who was organizing the documents next to him and whispered sternly.
“Sylvia, no matter how urgent the matter is, you must pack food. I will tell Auston.”
“Who is going to say something to whom right now...”
“Madam, please.”
"...All right."
Sylvia tried to make a disbelieving sound when she saw Randall's face, which was noticeably pale due to his busy schedule, but when he furrowed his eyebrows and pleaded, she responded as if she had no choice. Then Randall smiled and gave Sylvia a short kiss on the forehead. The tips of her ears turned slightly red.
“Randall.”
“I'll be back soon.”
Randall hurried out of the conference room before Sylvia could utter any reprimands. Sylvia looked around, playing with her bangs in embarrassment. Then her eyes met with Count Florette’s.
“...!”
Sylvia shrugged her shoulders and turned her head away as soon as their eyes met. Her heartbeat was unusually loud in her ears, like that of a child who had done something wrong.
'...Have you seen it?'
Their eyes met briefly, but the surroundings were quite noisy, so Sylvia hoped that Count Florette would not notice her actions. Fortunately, it was then that Auston spoke to her.
“Madam, just a moment. Soon.”
“Oh, I see.”
Auston was currently studying how to use the magic circle to Kelvetia in reverse at the palace. Sylvia, who had seen Randall faintly use his sword energy in Kelvetia, thought that if the magic circle formula was stabilized a little more, it would be possible to cross from Kelvetia to the human world. Auston also agreed with her opinion and was conducting research with her. If the peace talks were successful, there would be many more occasions when they would have to travel back and forth between Kelvetia and the human world.
“Sylvia, no matter how urgent the matter is, you must pack food. I will tell Auston.”
“Who is going to say something to whom right now...”
“Madam, please.”
"...All right."
Sylvia tried to make a disbelieving sound when she saw Randall's face, which was noticeably pale due to his busy schedule, but when he furrowed his eyebrows and pleaded, she responded as if she had no choice. Then Randall smiled and gave Sylvia a short kiss on the forehead. The tips of her ears turned slightly red.
“Randall.”
“I'll be back soon.”
Randall hurried out of the conference room before Sylvia could utter any reprimands. Sylvia looked around, playing with her bangs in embarrassment. Then her eyes met with Count Florette’s.
“...!”
Sylvia shrugged her shoulders and turned her head away as soon as their eyes met. Her heartbeat was unusually loud in her ears, like that of a child who had done something wrong.
'...Have you seen it?'
Their eyes met briefly, but the surroundings were quite noisy, so Sylvia hoped that Count Florette would not notice her actions. Fortunately, it was then that Auston spoke to her.
“Madam, just a moment. Soon.”
“Oh, I see.”
Auston was currently studying how to use the magic circle to Kelvetia in reverse at the palace. Sylvia, who had seen Randall faintly use his sword energy in Kelvetia, thought that if the magic circle formula was stabilized a little more, it would be possible to cross from Kelvetia to the human world. Auston also agreed with her opinion and was conducting research with her. If the peace talks were successful, there would be many more occasions when they would have to travel back and forth between Kelvetia and the human world.
Sylvia, who remembered that it was soon time for a meeting with the scholars called by the academy, stood up from her seat at Aston's words. She walked through the meeting room, passing through those who had no intention of hiding their admiring gazes since revealing that they were magicians. Auston snickered at the sight.
“Anyway, everyone’s eyes widen when they hear the word wizard.”
“Well, if I wasn’t the Duchess of Belfort or the Lady Florette, their gaze would have been closer to a pack of lynxes by now.”
“That’s what I mean... But wait, how did you know that they would do that? If someone heard you, they would think you’ve lived a life that wasn’t noble.”
“...It’s noisy.”
As Sylvia and Auston were talking back and forth and just as they stepped into the hallway, a voice came from behind them, along with a rumbling of urgency.
“Sylvia.”
The moment she heard that call, her feet stopped moving without even a moment to think. Sylvia, who had been frozen, unable to even breathe, slowly turned around with a pale face. The person who caught her was, of course, Count Florette. The moment Sylvia saw his face, she felt the urge to close her eyes tightly, but she barely suppressed it. Instead, she tightly closed her lips.
‘...I don’t regret it.’
She didn't regret revealing that she was a sorcerer. It was still the most rational decision to deal with David and live with Randall. However, in front of Count and Countess Floret, Sylvia was a sinner. She had dyed the childhood of their only child, perhaps the only one in their lives, into a gloomy gray rather than a colorful one before she went to the Duchy of Belfort.
"Why on earth is that little kid..."
Sylvia turned her eyes and covered her ears, pretending not to know, but she knew that her unusual behavior as a child had caused the Count and his wife to groan and cry countless times.
At that time, Sylvia felt a little uncomfortable when she saw the couple shedding tears in secret, but she didn't feel this guilty. She had no intention of continuing her life, and she thought that it would all end when she died anyway, so she didn't feel sorry for them. She just...
“Anyway, everyone’s eyes widen when they hear the word wizard.”
“Well, if I wasn’t the Duchess of Belfort or the Lady Florette, their gaze would have been closer to a pack of lynxes by now.”
“That’s what I mean... But wait, how did you know that they would do that? If someone heard you, they would think you’ve lived a life that wasn’t noble.”
“...It’s noisy.”
As Sylvia and Auston were talking back and forth and just as they stepped into the hallway, a voice came from behind them, along with a rumbling of urgency.
“Sylvia.”
The moment she heard that call, her feet stopped moving without even a moment to think. Sylvia, who had been frozen, unable to even breathe, slowly turned around with a pale face. The person who caught her was, of course, Count Florette. The moment Sylvia saw his face, she felt the urge to close her eyes tightly, but she barely suppressed it. Instead, she tightly closed her lips.
‘...I don’t regret it.’
She didn't regret revealing that she was a sorcerer. It was still the most rational decision to deal with David and live with Randall. However, in front of Count and Countess Floret, Sylvia was a sinner. She had dyed the childhood of their only child, perhaps the only one in their lives, into a gloomy gray rather than a colorful one before she went to the Duchy of Belfort.
"Why on earth is that little kid..."
Sylvia turned her eyes and covered her ears, pretending not to know, but she knew that her unusual behavior as a child had caused the Count and his wife to groan and cry countless times.
At that time, Sylvia felt a little uncomfortable when she saw the couple shedding tears in secret, but she didn't feel this guilty. She had no intention of continuing her life, and she thought that it would all end when she died anyway, so she didn't feel sorry for them. She just...
pitied them for having her as their child.
That's why she couldn't raise her head in front of the Count even more. They always did their best for Sylvia, and regret and self-reproach were things that remained for those who didn't do their best.
“...What’s going on?”
Sylvia managed to squeeze out her voice. However, she could not hide her pale face. Count Florette stopped approaching her when he realized that Sylvia’s face was as pale as if she would collapse at any moment. He took a step back and spoke in a calm voice as if nothing had happened.
“It’s nothing. It’s just... You seem to have lost a lot of weight lately. My wife is worried too.”
“...”
“So, if it’s okay with you, how about stopping by my house and having a meal?”
The moment she heard those words, she felt like tears were about to burst out. Sylvia took a deep breath and strained her eyes. However, her throat was choked up as if she would burst into tears at any moment.
'Why...'
He should be angry. He should be fiercely questioning her, saying that she has been acting so indifferent and heartless up until now and hiding this. But why on earth is he looking at her with such watery eyes...?
"Mom!"
Suddenly, the face of Juliet, the daughter she had in her second life, seemed to flash through her mind. Sylvia was unconsciously moving her lips.
“Count!”
At the end of the hall, a servant called out loudly to the Count. He came running with a thoughtful face but stopped when he saw Sylvia and Auston.
“Oh, the Duchess and Lord Auston were there too. Um, that is...”
“What's going on?”
The Count's face hardened in the ominous atmosphere and he looked at his attendant. Sylvia's eyes, which looked just like the Count's, also sank coldly. The attendant, who had been holding his breath for a moment, closed his eyes tightly as if he had seen something terrible and spoke.
“The culprit is David de Kelmar Lochlen, who is wanted. Murder... case.”
***
The Duchy of Belfort had a particularly cold climate compared to other regions. In the capital, the leaves were just starting to change color, but in the north, it was so cold that it wouldn't be strange if it snowed at any moment.
'It was better when I was in the capital.'
As soon as Sylvia washed up and left the bathroom, she trembled at the cold air surrounding her entire body and stroked her arm. Sylvia led her shivering body to the fireplace. However, the sofa was placed a certain distance from the fireplace in case sparks flew, so it was a bit disappointing to soothe the cold.
'It was better when I was in the capital.'
As soon as Sylvia washed up and left the bathroom, she trembled at the cold air surrounding her entire body and stroked her arm. Sylvia led her shivering body to the fireplace. However, the sofa was placed a certain distance from the fireplace in case sparks flew, so it was a bit disappointing to soothe the cold.
Sylvia, who was worried, crouched down in front of the fireplace while closing her black fur robe. Then, the warmth of the flames gradually warmed her skin which had been cooling down. As she quietly watched the crackling fire, she felt like all her distracting thoughts were disappearing.
Sylvia warmed herself up in front of the fireplace with a blank expression. At that moment, the door opened and Randall, wearing the same robe as her, came in. He tilted his head when he saw that the bed was empty, and then opened his eyes wide when he found Sylvia sitting in front of the fireplace.
“Sylvia?”
“Are you back? I just came out after washing up and it’s a bit cold.”
“It’s said to be in front of the fireplace, but the floor will be cold... Please wait a moment.”
“Sylvia?”
“Are you back? I just came out after washing up and it’s a bit cold.”
“It’s said to be in front of the fireplace, but the floor will be cold... Please wait a moment.”
After saying that, Randall brought a blanket and wrapped it around Sylvia. Sylvia chuckled and lifted the blanket that had covered her body and was falling to the floor.
“You come in too. It would be a big problem if you catch a cold.”
That sight suddenly reminded him of what had happened in the small cabin a while ago.
"...Come in."
A dark cabin, shadows cast by the flickering lights...
Clap!
“Randall?”
Randall, who was about to have a wild imagination for a moment, slapped himself on the cheek. Sylvia blinked in surprise. Randall, who barely regained his senses, coughed in vain and changed the subject.
“...I think you should be worried about your health more than mine.”
“So you don’t want to lend me your body heat? If you don’t want to, just tell me...”
“Randall?”
Randall, who was about to have a wild imagination for a moment, slapped himself on the cheek. Sylvia blinked in surprise. Randall, who barely regained his senses, coughed in vain and changed the subject.
“...I think you should be worried about your health more than mine.”
“So you don’t want to lend me your body heat? If you don’t want to, just tell me...”
“That’s not it.”
Before Sylvia could change her words, Randall quickly sat down next to her and wrapped the blanket around her. Sylvia let out a small laugh and leaned her head against Randall’s shoulder. The reason they had suddenly returned from the capital to the Belfort estate was simple.
"When the first snow falls at the entrance to Belfort, a festival of blood and pleasure will begin."
David had harmed innocent people and left such words.
“...It’s probably to summon the dark bugs. That’s probably the only option in the current situation.”
Sylvia spoke quietly. Randall nodded in agreement and asked back.
“Have you heard anything from David?”
“Yes. Even though he is a fugitive now, he is a demon lord and can control that much darkness. If he deliberately tries to hide himself, it will be difficult to find his traces with just his ghost.”
After David escaped, Randall searched for him with the eyes of everyone he could. Sylvia tried to find David separately, even using the phantoms. However, the darkness that was originally a piece of darkness was eaten by a greater darkness. It was not easy for a single phantom to find David who had deliberately disappeared.
“Of course, I’m not that worried. After all, everyone knows that this is their last desperate attempt. But...”
Rather, there was someone else who was more concerned than David. Sylvia's face and voice were blurred. Randall turned his gaze to the side and lightly brushed Sylvia's hand with the back of his hand. He spoke in a low voice.
“Is it because of the Count and Countess?”
“...Yes, it’s funny, isn’t it?”
Sylvia quietly closed her eyes and felt the touch of someone stroking her cheek, then she laughed at herself. Since she had decided to continue living, it was right for her to properly confess to the Count and Countess, just as she had to Randall, what she had been hiding. They were the only people in this world who loved her as much as Randall. But she couldn't help but be afraid.
“...It’s probably to summon the dark bugs. That’s probably the only option in the current situation.”
Sylvia spoke quietly. Randall nodded in agreement and asked back.
“Have you heard anything from David?”
“Yes. Even though he is a fugitive now, he is a demon lord and can control that much darkness. If he deliberately tries to hide himself, it will be difficult to find his traces with just his ghost.”
After David escaped, Randall searched for him with the eyes of everyone he could. Sylvia tried to find David separately, even using the phantoms. However, the darkness that was originally a piece of darkness was eaten by a greater darkness. It was not easy for a single phantom to find David who had deliberately disappeared.
“Of course, I’m not that worried. After all, everyone knows that this is their last desperate attempt. But...”
Rather, there was someone else who was more concerned than David. Sylvia's face and voice were blurred. Randall turned his gaze to the side and lightly brushed Sylvia's hand with the back of his hand. He spoke in a low voice.
“Is it because of the Count and Countess?”
“...Yes, it’s funny, isn’t it?”
Sylvia quietly closed her eyes and felt the touch of someone stroking her cheek, then she laughed at herself. Since she had decided to continue living, it was right for her to properly confess to the Count and Countess, just as she had to Randall, what she had been hiding. They were the only people in this world who loved her as much as Randall. But she couldn't help but be afraid.
The weight of the love she had received weighed on her shoulders as much as her guilt.
The New Series, God Bless Your Ruin is out now! You can check it HERE!
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