“Preparing for war? Aren’t we already done?”
After that, there was no need to disband the preparations that had been made, so Rowen’s corps maintained its form by only collecting the weapons that had been supplied as they were temporarily organized.
“If we were to be exact, we were planning to procure military supplies from Pagos, but the problem is that we have to solve it in Rowen.”
“That’s not the problem.”
Kaian lifted his chin slightly.
“It would be a problem if there were no food, but it wouldn’t be difficult to take what we have.”
“That’s true.”
“Vermont will join Valquiterre.”
His face became a little more cold.
“They’ll think they lost face during the Territory War, so they’ll be threatening to show them a lesson this time.”
“I’d rather know when they’ll hear that the child is alive.”
Kaian said to the butler.
“Send someone to the telegraph office and have them change the code and send it.”
The telegraph office used a code table that matched the length of the light flash.
However, since the telegraph office itself was an organization that the King could control from the center, a separate table was created to secretly change the strings and view them in preparation for such an event.
‘I’ve never had to use this before.’
The capital was a week away, so even if they had prepared for it, the news from Valmonde was a problem. Since the telegram would be transmitted until they reached Rowen, they had no choice but to receive it from another territory and use the light signal on their own without going through the telegraph office. It was far away and dim, but it wasn’t completely impossible, so they had prepared for it.
“We can’t avoid war.”
Kaian said solemnly.
It was something he had expected when he brought back his wife, who was being treated as a trophy by the rampaging Valquiterre in the royal castle.
It was a very sad experience to have Valquiterre, whom he knew, assume something he didn’t know at all would happen like that.
‘It’s a situation that even Valquiterre can’t solve through conversation.’
There was no need to blame Claudel for not trying to talk him out of it.
Some words were even harder to say to someone very close and trusted.
In the midst of all this, there was a part of Kaian that he thought had changed.
'Apart from the war and the territory, did he really intend to kill my child?'
That was the question that lingered in his mind the most.
In the Holderleyround, Kaian killed all of the assassins sent by Valquiterre except one.
He beat the one he spared and took his family hostage. He cut off half of the baby's red hair, wrapped it in a blood-soaked handkerchief, and sent it to the palace.
The job was a success.
'And Valquiterre wouldn't have let that bastard live.'
He gave the family of the bastard he had taken hostage a large amount of money and sent them abroad.
Although the bastard had come to harm his own child, he didn't want to harm his child in the same way, so he spared his family.
'Is there any point in taking revenge in the same way?'
Even so, it would not be possible to turn back the already dirty feelings.
'If it were before, I would have thought that I should return the favor.'
Although the bastard had come to harm his own child, he didn't want to harm his child in the same way, so he spared his family.
'Is there any point in taking revenge in the same way?'
Even so, it would not be possible to turn back the already dirty feelings.
'If it were before, I would have thought that I should return the favor.'
Kaian had changed. And now, he thought it was time to change.
Could the time when he was working alone and the time when he had blood relatives to protect be the same?
"I must protect the baby and Claudel."
"Of course."
The butler's eyes also showed a firm will.
"Of course."
It was not that his will to repay had weakened.
It was just that something more important had arisen.
While Kaian was having a serious discussion with the butler about the telegraph office that had lost contact, I sat by the window of the sunny living room and greeted the guests who kept coming.
The vassals of the Temnes family, whom I did not know well, were requesting interviews with me one after another.
"Duchess. It is an honor to see you again like this."
"Ahem. I am so glad that you returned safely to Rowen Castle."
The atmosphere at Rowen Castle had taken a dramatic turn.
After holding the funeral of the Duchess and urging Kaian to welcome a new Duchess, they were struck by a thunderbolt from the furious Kaian, who said, 'Bring proof that she is dead.'
Could the time when he was working alone and the time when he had blood relatives to protect be the same?
"I must protect the baby and Claudel."
"Of course."
The butler's eyes also showed a firm will.
"Of course."
It was not that his will to repay had weakened.
It was just that something more important had arisen.
***
While Kaian was having a serious discussion with the butler about the telegraph office that had lost contact, I sat by the window of the sunny living room and greeted the guests who kept coming.
The vassals of the Temnes family, whom I did not know well, were requesting interviews with me one after another.
"Duchess. It is an honor to see you again like this."
"Ahem. I am so glad that you returned safely to Rowen Castle."
The atmosphere at Rowen Castle had taken a dramatic turn.
After holding the funeral of the Duchess and urging Kaian to welcome a new Duchess, they were struck by a thunderbolt from the furious Kaian, who said, 'Bring proof that she is dead.'
The family bloodline and vassals who had suffered the humiliation of having the water of a perfectly good lake drained because of a single wrong word sincerely welcomed my return.
So when I returned safely to the castle, they came to greet me, but I couldn't have been very pleased with the fact that their attitude had changed from when they didn't even treat me like a Duchess.
'I have to think about the baby.'
The one who was displeased was me. The baby was the true heir of Temnes, and since Kaian had acknowledged him, he deserved their respect, so I endured it and faced the uncomfortable guests.
"I bought it because I heard you like apples. If there's anything else you like, please let me know."
I sighed inwardly.
'Another apple.'
A rumor had spread that 'the Duchess really likes apples' because of the orchard manager who had been kicked out of the estate for an unpleasant incident.
Since no one else knew what I liked, everyone who stopped by to greet me brought a basket of apples, so the maids of Rowen Castle were about to make apple jam out of nowhere.
"Is the baby still asleep?"
Everyone who visited glanced at the baby's room, curious.
Irony!
It was a very good thing that a direct descendant of the lord was born.
When I disappeared, the effects of Kaian's madness belatedly appeared, and no one dared to add a negative word to the situation.
Originally, the lord's word in the territory was absolute, above the law. It was implicitly considered a family of enemies and was looked down upon as a joke, but now that the situation had changed, those who could say anything about me had already been kicked out, and even among the servants, only those who were friendly to me were left.
After Kaian returned to the castle with me and the baby, the pro-marriage faction that had remained in the castle was very happy.
And when the lord was away for a while and even the butler went to the capital, there was less work to take care of, so when he posted an announcement to recruit new servants in Rowen Castle, only those who were friendly to me flocked to it.
Originally, if the lord's wife were to take care of the castle's affairs in earnest, there were many things I had to do well.
Up until now, the butler had handled things on my behalf, so there was no need to be in line with me, but now that was different.
The real power in Rowen Castle was no longer the butler, but me.
It was obvious that I had more power than Baron Colon, the butler who had long been called the real power in Rowen Castle.
Because the butler could not suppress Kaian's madness.
It was truly disgusting to see the middle-aged men farting around, trying to somehow get in line.
"I brought you some fabric that would suit your precious baby. I would like to meet you."
"The Lord will soon give you a chance to formally introduce the baby. Don't be upset, since it hasn't been long since it was born."
"What do you mean upset! No way! Haha. I'm in a hurry."
I felt burdened by the attention but tried to act calmly.
It was because I thought that now I would finally be able to live here as a real Duchess.
'It's a new feeling, but.'
So when I returned safely to the castle, they came to greet me, but I couldn't have been very pleased with the fact that their attitude had changed from when they didn't even treat me like a Duchess.
'I have to think about the baby.'
The one who was displeased was me. The baby was the true heir of Temnes, and since Kaian had acknowledged him, he deserved their respect, so I endured it and faced the uncomfortable guests.
"I bought it because I heard you like apples. If there's anything else you like, please let me know."
I sighed inwardly.
'Another apple.'
A rumor had spread that 'the Duchess really likes apples' because of the orchard manager who had been kicked out of the estate for an unpleasant incident.
Since no one else knew what I liked, everyone who stopped by to greet me brought a basket of apples, so the maids of Rowen Castle were about to make apple jam out of nowhere.
"Is the baby still asleep?"
Everyone who visited glanced at the baby's room, curious.
Irony!
It was a very good thing that a direct descendant of the lord was born.
When I disappeared, the effects of Kaian's madness belatedly appeared, and no one dared to add a negative word to the situation.
Originally, the lord's word in the territory was absolute, above the law. It was implicitly considered a family of enemies and was looked down upon as a joke, but now that the situation had changed, those who could say anything about me had already been kicked out, and even among the servants, only those who were friendly to me were left.
After Kaian returned to the castle with me and the baby, the pro-marriage faction that had remained in the castle was very happy.
And when the lord was away for a while and even the butler went to the capital, there was less work to take care of, so when he posted an announcement to recruit new servants in Rowen Castle, only those who were friendly to me flocked to it.
Originally, if the lord's wife were to take care of the castle's affairs in earnest, there were many things I had to do well.
Up until now, the butler had handled things on my behalf, so there was no need to be in line with me, but now that was different.
The real power in Rowen Castle was no longer the butler, but me.
It was obvious that I had more power than Baron Colon, the butler who had long been called the real power in Rowen Castle.
Because the butler could not suppress Kaian's madness.
It was truly disgusting to see the middle-aged men farting around, trying to somehow get in line.
"I brought you some fabric that would suit your precious baby. I would like to meet you."
"The Lord will soon give you a chance to formally introduce the baby. Don't be upset, since it hasn't been long since it was born."
"What do you mean upset! No way! Haha. I'm in a hurry."
I felt burdened by the attention but tried to act calmly.
It was because I thought that now I would finally be able to live here as a real Duchess.
'It's a new feeling, but.'
Because Kaian had made a proper promise.
I wanted to be a wife who would not be ashamed of him, and I wanted to be a strong mother to the baby.
However, it was not easy to refuse and face all the visitors who came with a body that was not in perfect health.
“What is it all about here?”
When Kaian entered the reception room, everyone was startled and lowered their heads.
“Your Highness.”
“I was just stopping by the castle for a moment to pay my respects to the lady.”
“Yes.”
Kaian’s eyes turned to the baskets of apples placed here and there in the reception room.
“What are all these?”
Red apples, yellow apples, and even green apples.
The apples of all colors were placed as if they were from an apple-tasting event.
“I heard that the Duchess likes to eat them.”
Kaian, who felt unpleasant as soon as he saw the apples, said coldly.
“Put them away.”
At Kaian’s sharp words, the maid standing by the door called the others in the hallway and quickly took the baskets away.
They tried their best to bring in non-overlapping apples, but one of the servants opened his mouth as he saw the apples disappear in vain.
“I apologize for not knowing what the Duchess would like.”
“Jewels, gold, silk.”
Kaian said nonchalantly.
“Bring her something worthy of offering. It’s a gift, but it’s not sincere.”
“I-I will.”
Hannah, noticing Kaian’s reaction, quickly stepped forward.
“It’s time for the lady to rest, so you should all leave now.”
Hannah gave a harsh order to shoo away the guests. When Kaian and I were left alone, I let out a sigh.
“This isn’t something that just anyone can do.”
“You’ll get used to it.”
I glared at Kaian.
“Why did you tell your servants that?”
“What?”
“You know I’m not really interested in jewels.”
“You packed those things carefully when you ran away.”
“That... I couldn’t help it because of the baby.”
I sighed, puffing out my cheeks.
“What if I go on like this and get rumored to be a woman who spends a lot of money?”
“No way. This is too much.”
I quietly took out a red, round apple from my skirt pocket.
“I like apples.”
He snatched it away as soon as he saw it.
“Don’t eat it.”
“Why?”
“It’s just a matter of feeling.”
I, who was on the verge of never being able to eat an apple in my life because of Burbrook, whose name I didn’t even want to mention, held out my hand, asking for the one he had taken.
“Give it to me. I chose the prettiest one.”
“Don’t eat this one. Eat something else.”
Kaian cupped my small face with one hand.
He hugged me and lightly pecked my lips.
When our eyes met, my golden eyes grew wide like flowers in full bloom.
When I turned my head awkwardly, Kaian tightened his arms around my waist, grabbed my chin, and gently stroked my lips with his thumb.
“You want to eat something like this even though I’m here?”
I wanted to be a wife who would not be ashamed of him, and I wanted to be a strong mother to the baby.
However, it was not easy to refuse and face all the visitors who came with a body that was not in perfect health.
“What is it all about here?”
When Kaian entered the reception room, everyone was startled and lowered their heads.
“Your Highness.”
“I was just stopping by the castle for a moment to pay my respects to the lady.”
“Yes.”
Kaian’s eyes turned to the baskets of apples placed here and there in the reception room.
“What are all these?”
Red apples, yellow apples, and even green apples.
The apples of all colors were placed as if they were from an apple-tasting event.
“I heard that the Duchess likes to eat them.”
Kaian, who felt unpleasant as soon as he saw the apples, said coldly.
“Put them away.”
At Kaian’s sharp words, the maid standing by the door called the others in the hallway and quickly took the baskets away.
They tried their best to bring in non-overlapping apples, but one of the servants opened his mouth as he saw the apples disappear in vain.
“I apologize for not knowing what the Duchess would like.”
“Jewels, gold, silk.”
Kaian said nonchalantly.
“Bring her something worthy of offering. It’s a gift, but it’s not sincere.”
“I-I will.”
Hannah, noticing Kaian’s reaction, quickly stepped forward.
“It’s time for the lady to rest, so you should all leave now.”
Hannah gave a harsh order to shoo away the guests. When Kaian and I were left alone, I let out a sigh.
“This isn’t something that just anyone can do.”
“You’ll get used to it.”
I glared at Kaian.
“Why did you tell your servants that?”
“What?”
“You know I’m not really interested in jewels.”
“You packed those things carefully when you ran away.”
“That... I couldn’t help it because of the baby.”
I sighed, puffing out my cheeks.
“What if I go on like this and get rumored to be a woman who spends a lot of money?”
“No way. This is too much.”
I quietly took out a red, round apple from my skirt pocket.
“I like apples.”
He snatched it away as soon as he saw it.
“Don’t eat it.”
“Why?”
“It’s just a matter of feeling.”
I, who was on the verge of never being able to eat an apple in my life because of Burbrook, whose name I didn’t even want to mention, held out my hand, asking for the one he had taken.
“Give it to me. I chose the prettiest one.”
“Don’t eat this one. Eat something else.”
Kaian cupped my small face with one hand.
He hugged me and lightly pecked my lips.
When our eyes met, my golden eyes grew wide like flowers in full bloom.
When I turned my head awkwardly, Kaian tightened his arms around my waist, grabbed my chin, and gently stroked my lips with his thumb.
“You want to eat something like this even though I’m here?”
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