'Vanessa said something about how if you look at it like that, your eyesight will go bad.'
Vanessa, who happened to visit Erna's room late at night, nagged her like a parent while she lay reading a document. From then on, Erna would always look at her documents with a glimmer of light.
Erna, comfortably settled on the sofa, was about to concentrate on her paperwork when she heard the door open. Erna deliberately avoided looking back, pretending to work leisurely. Then came the sound of heavy footsteps approaching, then abruptly stopping. A moment of silence followed, and then came Callion's low voice.
“What are you doing?”
"What?"
“Why are you doing this in my place?”
"Your place? This isn't a designated place, is it?"
Erna was right. The room on the left was Erna's, the one on the right was Callion's. But this place in the middle was their shared property, and it wasn't really anyone's.
Erna confidently pointed to the tea table where she had sat yesterday.
“So, please take an empty seat.”
“...”
Callion glared at Erna for a moment. Of course, Erna wasn't at all frightened by his gaze. Rather, she found Callion, who had been enjoying this place for the past few days as if it were his, simply bewildering.
Thud. Callion roughly placed the documents he had brought on the tea table.
The table and chairs felt a bit small, even for Erna. She doesn't know what kind of people the former Grand Duke and Duchess of Hessen were, but she's sure they were much smaller than her. That's why they used such a small and cute table and chair.
'Wouldn't it bend if he sits down?'
Although she had no problem, Erna looked at him with a look of excitement, wondering what would happen if Callion, who seemed twice her size, sat down. However, her curiosity was ultimately unsatisfied. He put down the papers, turned, and returned to his room.
“...?”
"Have you lost your temper or something?" Erna wondered what on earth he was doing when she got up, only to see Callion reappear. At that moment, Erna's mouth fell open. Callion was holding his desk.
It was quite heavy and large. Normally, it would take at least four people to lift and move it. However, Callion lifted the desk alone, hoisting it onto his shoulder. He placed it in a corner of the bedroom, then brought a chair from his room and sat down. Then, with his usual impassive face, he returned to his work as if nothing had happened.
'Wait a minute, this is somehow...'
Erna looked back and forth between where she was sitting and where Callion was sitting. At first, the sofa and table seemed to be the center of the room, but once the desk was placed, Callion seemed to be the master of the room. She felt like she was visiting the master's room, his arrogant demeanor causing a nuisance.
She felt strangely lost.
'I wonder if this will actually work.'
Erna walked with a trembling step towards where the wizards were staying.
It's already been five days since she started living with Callion. They agreed to spend two hours together five days out of seven, and on the sixth day, they'd work on conceiving a child. And on the seventh day, they agreed not to see each other for the sake of their own mental stability.
'The day I decided to try hard is already tomorrow.'
Realizing this made her depressed. It reminded her of the drunken brawl she had a week ago. Now that she caused that brawl, she couldn't drink again. In other words, she had to hold on to her sanity.
'Honestly, I'm still not confident.'
This time, it didn't seem like much had changed compared to last time, but what a terrible time she was about to endure. As Erna pressed her throbbing head with both hands, she heard a voice calling her name.
“Your Highness!”
“What’s wrong, Orpheus?”
Orpheus was waving her hand and calling her from the end of the hallway.
"The wizards we sent have returned! They said they wanted to see the Grand Duke soon."
Erna's face brightened at those words. The people Orpheus was referring to were the ones she had sent out of the capital a week ago with a single order. Erna hurried to the building where she taught wizards. As she entered the conference room, those seated rose and greeted her.
“Your Highness!”
“We’re back!”
Although they called her "Grand Duke," their demeanor seemed more like that of a close teacher than a Grand Duke. It was understandable, for they rushed to Erna and embraced her. Like Orpheus, they were wizards Erna had sought out, trained, and raised. Erna smiled sincerely and embraced them.
“Did you have a good trip? Are you hurt anywhere?”
“Of course. Where would we go to get hurt?”
"You said you wanted to see me more urgently? Is something going on?"
“That’s because I want to see you soon, Your Highness.”
Erna looked at the wizards clinging to her, gently embracing her arm. They were people she trusted and cared for. They were also people she had to protect.
"Of course, that's not all. We found out something, and we need to let you know quickly."
Erna's face brightened even more at those words. The order she had given them was to investigate the ancient ruins remaining in Hessengard.
When Hessengard was founded, it was said to have survived among countless kingdoms, utilizing magic more diverse and powerful than the Magic Tower. Thus, there are quite a few records that the first Grand Duke of Hessengard was a wizard. However, that was a long time ago. As time passed, magic gradually faded, and by the time of the previous Grand Duke, not a single spell remained that functioned properly.
'There was a record that if even one remained, the Hessengard would not be invaded by foreign countries.'
Because it was a story from almost a thousand years ago, people did not believe that such magic existed and that it was just an exaggerated account when they saw such records.
'I ordered the pursuit because I thought it would have some power, but I found out something.'
As Erna's eyes sparkled with anticipation, the returning wizards opened their mouths.
“Have you heard of the Forest of Irgis?”
As 10 o'clock approached, Callion organized the papers he had been reviewing and piled them into a single pile. Holding them in one hand, he headed toward the master bedroom, but then remembered that tomorrow would be a day of hard work for the two of them.
'It doesn't seem like anything has changed in particular.'
He said that if they spent more time together, they'd become more accustomed. Of course, it was different from the first day they were together. At least now, Erna's every move wasn't jarring. More precisely, he was just too busy to care.
The documents Vanessa had sent him were twice the usual amount, and none of them were unimportant. He needed to familiarize himself with them all to attend and discuss them at the next council meeting, so Callion, even cutting back on his recent work with the Knights, devoted himself to them.
'But it's a bit strange.'
Cedric was usually the one who threatened to die from overwork if he was entrusted with the Knights' work. So he figured he'd be blustering for quite some time this time, too.
“Don’t worry, I will take good care of the Knights’ affairs, so Your Highness, you can just rest in peace.”
But strangely, Cedric, with a determined expression, offered to do everything. Then, out of the blue, he even brought along some healthy food. It was as if he had something to do that required a lot of effort.
Although Cedric's attitude was suspicious, it was better than just grumbling, so Callion no longer cared.
'Is she going to roll around on the sofa again?'
Before opening the door, Callion recalled the sight of Erna he'd seen for days. Erna was lying on the sofa, reading papers, so well-rested that it seemed she had no spine.
'Come to think of it, there were some things I had gotten used to.'
She says talking to herself is a habit. Erna would sometimes mutter to herself as she read documents, as if addressing him. Of course, after she told him it was a habit, he never responded. Even if she had told him, instead of being grateful, she'd just look at him as if he were meddling.
“She’ll just lie down on the sofa again today,” thought Callion, opening the door to see that the sofa was empty.
He thought she hadn't arrived yet, but when he turned his head, he saw Erna standing against the wall. More precisely, in front of the map she's been looking at for a few days. He thought she was looking for another unfamiliar place, but her gaze was fixed on the Forest of Irgis, the place he told her about a few days ago.
'Why are you so concerned about that forest?'
Having received the same documents, he too had seen the information about the Forest of Irgis. He requested a review because, given the frequent appearance of monsters around that forest, he hoped the Knights would visit regularly. However, since there were more than one or two such areas within Hessengard, it wasn't an area that required significant attention.
Callion, momentarily puzzled, shook his head. It wasn't a problem he needed to worry about anyway. He was about to sit down.
“Have you ever been around here?”
At Erna's voice, Callion raised his head. Her voice was pure curiosity, devoid of any negative emotion.
Vanessa, who happened to visit Erna's room late at night, nagged her like a parent while she lay reading a document. From then on, Erna would always look at her documents with a glimmer of light.
Erna, comfortably settled on the sofa, was about to concentrate on her paperwork when she heard the door open. Erna deliberately avoided looking back, pretending to work leisurely. Then came the sound of heavy footsteps approaching, then abruptly stopping. A moment of silence followed, and then came Callion's low voice.
“What are you doing?”
"What?"
“Why are you doing this in my place?”
"Your place? This isn't a designated place, is it?"
Erna was right. The room on the left was Erna's, the one on the right was Callion's. But this place in the middle was their shared property, and it wasn't really anyone's.
Erna confidently pointed to the tea table where she had sat yesterday.
“So, please take an empty seat.”
“...”
Callion glared at Erna for a moment. Of course, Erna wasn't at all frightened by his gaze. Rather, she found Callion, who had been enjoying this place for the past few days as if it were his, simply bewildering.
Thud. Callion roughly placed the documents he had brought on the tea table.
The table and chairs felt a bit small, even for Erna. She doesn't know what kind of people the former Grand Duke and Duchess of Hessen were, but she's sure they were much smaller than her. That's why they used such a small and cute table and chair.
'Wouldn't it bend if he sits down?'
Although she had no problem, Erna looked at him with a look of excitement, wondering what would happen if Callion, who seemed twice her size, sat down. However, her curiosity was ultimately unsatisfied. He put down the papers, turned, and returned to his room.
“...?”
"Have you lost your temper or something?" Erna wondered what on earth he was doing when she got up, only to see Callion reappear. At that moment, Erna's mouth fell open. Callion was holding his desk.
It was quite heavy and large. Normally, it would take at least four people to lift and move it. However, Callion lifted the desk alone, hoisting it onto his shoulder. He placed it in a corner of the bedroom, then brought a chair from his room and sat down. Then, with his usual impassive face, he returned to his work as if nothing had happened.
'Wait a minute, this is somehow...'
Erna looked back and forth between where she was sitting and where Callion was sitting. At first, the sofa and table seemed to be the center of the room, but once the desk was placed, Callion seemed to be the master of the room. She felt like she was visiting the master's room, his arrogant demeanor causing a nuisance.
She felt strangely lost.
***
'I wonder if this will actually work.'
Erna walked with a trembling step towards where the wizards were staying.
It's already been five days since she started living with Callion. They agreed to spend two hours together five days out of seven, and on the sixth day, they'd work on conceiving a child. And on the seventh day, they agreed not to see each other for the sake of their own mental stability.
'The day I decided to try hard is already tomorrow.'
Realizing this made her depressed. It reminded her of the drunken brawl she had a week ago. Now that she caused that brawl, she couldn't drink again. In other words, she had to hold on to her sanity.
'Honestly, I'm still not confident.'
This time, it didn't seem like much had changed compared to last time, but what a terrible time she was about to endure. As Erna pressed her throbbing head with both hands, she heard a voice calling her name.
“Your Highness!”
“What’s wrong, Orpheus?”
Orpheus was waving her hand and calling her from the end of the hallway.
"The wizards we sent have returned! They said they wanted to see the Grand Duke soon."
Erna's face brightened at those words. The people Orpheus was referring to were the ones she had sent out of the capital a week ago with a single order. Erna hurried to the building where she taught wizards. As she entered the conference room, those seated rose and greeted her.
“Your Highness!”
“We’re back!”
Although they called her "Grand Duke," their demeanor seemed more like that of a close teacher than a Grand Duke. It was understandable, for they rushed to Erna and embraced her. Like Orpheus, they were wizards Erna had sought out, trained, and raised. Erna smiled sincerely and embraced them.
“Did you have a good trip? Are you hurt anywhere?”
“Of course. Where would we go to get hurt?”
"You said you wanted to see me more urgently? Is something going on?"
“That’s because I want to see you soon, Your Highness.”
Erna looked at the wizards clinging to her, gently embracing her arm. They were people she trusted and cared for. They were also people she had to protect.
"Of course, that's not all. We found out something, and we need to let you know quickly."
Erna's face brightened even more at those words. The order she had given them was to investigate the ancient ruins remaining in Hessengard.
When Hessengard was founded, it was said to have survived among countless kingdoms, utilizing magic more diverse and powerful than the Magic Tower. Thus, there are quite a few records that the first Grand Duke of Hessengard was a wizard. However, that was a long time ago. As time passed, magic gradually faded, and by the time of the previous Grand Duke, not a single spell remained that functioned properly.
'There was a record that if even one remained, the Hessengard would not be invaded by foreign countries.'
Because it was a story from almost a thousand years ago, people did not believe that such magic existed and that it was just an exaggerated account when they saw such records.
'I ordered the pursuit because I thought it would have some power, but I found out something.'
As Erna's eyes sparkled with anticipation, the returning wizards opened their mouths.
“Have you heard of the Forest of Irgis?”
***
As 10 o'clock approached, Callion organized the papers he had been reviewing and piled them into a single pile. Holding them in one hand, he headed toward the master bedroom, but then remembered that tomorrow would be a day of hard work for the two of them.
'It doesn't seem like anything has changed in particular.'
He said that if they spent more time together, they'd become more accustomed. Of course, it was different from the first day they were together. At least now, Erna's every move wasn't jarring. More precisely, he was just too busy to care.
The documents Vanessa had sent him were twice the usual amount, and none of them were unimportant. He needed to familiarize himself with them all to attend and discuss them at the next council meeting, so Callion, even cutting back on his recent work with the Knights, devoted himself to them.
'But it's a bit strange.'
Cedric was usually the one who threatened to die from overwork if he was entrusted with the Knights' work. So he figured he'd be blustering for quite some time this time, too.
“Don’t worry, I will take good care of the Knights’ affairs, so Your Highness, you can just rest in peace.”
But strangely, Cedric, with a determined expression, offered to do everything. Then, out of the blue, he even brought along some healthy food. It was as if he had something to do that required a lot of effort.
Although Cedric's attitude was suspicious, it was better than just grumbling, so Callion no longer cared.
'Is she going to roll around on the sofa again?'
Before opening the door, Callion recalled the sight of Erna he'd seen for days. Erna was lying on the sofa, reading papers, so well-rested that it seemed she had no spine.
'Come to think of it, there were some things I had gotten used to.'
She says talking to herself is a habit. Erna would sometimes mutter to herself as she read documents, as if addressing him. Of course, after she told him it was a habit, he never responded. Even if she had told him, instead of being grateful, she'd just look at him as if he were meddling.
“She’ll just lie down on the sofa again today,” thought Callion, opening the door to see that the sofa was empty.
He thought she hadn't arrived yet, but when he turned his head, he saw Erna standing against the wall. More precisely, in front of the map she's been looking at for a few days. He thought she was looking for another unfamiliar place, but her gaze was fixed on the Forest of Irgis, the place he told her about a few days ago.
'Why are you so concerned about that forest?'
Having received the same documents, he too had seen the information about the Forest of Irgis. He requested a review because, given the frequent appearance of monsters around that forest, he hoped the Knights would visit regularly. However, since there were more than one or two such areas within Hessengard, it wasn't an area that required significant attention.
Callion, momentarily puzzled, shook his head. It wasn't a problem he needed to worry about anyway. He was about to sit down.
“Have you ever been around here?”
At Erna's voice, Callion raised his head. Her voice was pure curiosity, devoid of any negative emotion.
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