The knight blinked blankly, signaled to his comrades, and approached the Grand Duke.
Baredon, who had been standing still watching the scene, resumed walking as if pushed by the messengers' urging. In an instant, the backs of the Grand Duke and Edric Rubon disappeared from view.
What on earth are they trying to talk about?
After a brief moment of curious gaze, he soon straightened his head.
He had no leeway to devote his mental energy to matters unrelated to himself. Wasn't he in a position where he was already struggling just to fulfill the duties assigned to him?
Having cast off even a shred of interest, the young man soon led the messengers and walked silently toward the main fortress.
***
A week later, cavalry sent by the lords of the eastern regions assembled at Kalmor.
Flags of various colors symbolizing different moods fluttered vigorously throughout the fields surrounding the fortress, and thousands of horses clad in armor filled the vast hills.
Barcas, surveying the magnificent army from the top of the tower, descended the stairs and headed toward the training grounds. The Castle of Raedgo was also teeming with armed mounted warriors and armored horses.
He scanned the supply wagons lined up in front of the city gate, crossing over the soldiers lined up in an orderly fashion. Four-wheeled wagons piled high with rations, weapons, and various military supplies stretched in a long line all the way outside the city.
"Your Excellency. All preparations for departure are complete."
By the time he had completed a lap around the parade ground, Beirov, who had finished his outer perimeter patrol, approached and gave his report.
Barcas raised his head to gauge the position of the sun, then gave instructions in a calm tone.
"To distribute meals to the soldiers in advance, it would be best to replenish your energy before departure if you plan to travel to the destination without resting."
"All right"
As the knight ran to deliver his orders, Barcas left the barracks and headed to the annex.
Unlike the bustling outskirts of the castle, the rear garden was eerily silent.
He approached the building located at the northern end of the inner courtyard, treading on the layers of snow.
“Are you here, sir?"
The guards standing at the door offered a disciplined greeting.
Barcas, having passed them and entered the building, immediately approached the stairs. Then, he stopped in his tracks upon spotting Edric Rubon sitting on a long chair in the drawing room.
"Why are you here?"
The man who had been stirring firewood with a plowshare stood up awkwardly from his seat with a bewildered look on his face.
"Why? Didn't you ask me to escort Her Highness the Grand Duchess?"
Barcas narrowed his eyebrows. To be precise, he had asked him to protect her starting from after he had left.
Barcas, who had been giving a disapproving look to the man who had arrived with his luggage in a flash before he had even left, soon took a leather pouch out of his bosom and handed it to him as if tossing it.
"It’s actually better this way since I don’t have to go visit you. I’ll pay you a year’s salary in advance."
"You really don't have to go to such lengths."
"There is no telling when I'll be able to return. It would be more convenient for both of us to prepare in advance."
Barcas, having firmly cut off the man's customary refusal, turned around and went up the stairs again.
It was a somewhat impulsive decision to keep Edric Rubon by her side. On this island, from which even he had left, he wanted there to be someone she could feel even a little bit of closeness to.
In less than a year, she lost them one after another, the ones she got close to. Two healers and a wolf she cherished.
Although the woman known as the nanny was still there, she had not the slightest affection for Thalia.
Didn't he strictly prohibit any service other than preparing meals, fearing that his wife might lose her appetite again from the shock of learning the truth?
It was better to have Edric Rubon be a source of comfort rather than keep that loathsome woman by her side again.
Barcas, having stopped at one side of the hallway, gazed at her bedroom door with a shadowed look. The maid, who had been dozing in the waiting room opposite, sprang up from her seat with a startled expression.
"Oh. You have arrived, Your Excellency.'
"How is Her Highness doing?"
"I prepared a meal for her this morning just as you instructed. However, she didn't eat much..."
The maid lowered her head with a sullen face.
Barcas, who had been tapping his temples with his fingertips, soon pulled the doorknob of the bedroom. With the creaking of the hinges, the messy interior of the bedroom was fully revealed.
He slowly untied the carpet, which was stained black as if an ink bottle had been thrown, and the stained blanket that reeked of wine, when he discovered Thalia sitting huddled in a small corner of the room and approached her.
Even though she must have sensed his presence, she did not move a muscle. He looked down at the woman, who was lying motionless with her face buried in her knees, then bent down and lifted her chin with one hand.
Over the face that was forcibly lifted, blue eyes filled with hostility gleamed brightly.
Facing those dagger-like eyes that he had become so accustomed to, Barcas calmly opened his mouth.
"I heard that you haven't been eating properly again. Are you tired of the food that woman makes now?"
"..."
"If that is the case, please let me know. I will instruct them to dismiss that woman and hire a new cook."
She slapped his hand away roughly with a loud slap.
"I'm not livestock. I have no obligation to shove everything you bring into my mouth."
He narrowed his eyes.
Perhaps thanks to persistently feeding her food and medicine for several weeks, color began to return to her pale complexion, but she remained dangerously emaciated.
If healing magic hadn't been cast on her periodically, she wouldn't have had the strength left to resist like she does now.
Barcas swallowed a sigh and gently lifted the woman's body. At that, she began to thrash fiercely like a wild animal caught in a hunter's trap.
He forcibly seated the woman, who was continuing her pitifully futile resistance, in front of the fireplace, clutched a piece of cake, and leaned his face close. Then, he spoke clearly and distinctly, as if to embed it into her mind.
"I plan to be away from the castle for the time being."
The woman, who had been panting and her chest heaving roughly, flinched and stiffened.
He added in a low, subdued voice, as if in danger.
"You'd better give up the idea of ruining your body with foolish things just because I'm not around. If I hear news that you've started another hunger strike, I don't know what I might do then."
“Let go of this!”
He pressed harder against the woman who was trying to shake off his hand, speaking as if urging her on.
"Remember what I'm saying. I can't tolerate any more problems arising because of you."
The woman's face contorted fiercely. She twisted her blood-stained lips and spoke as if spitting out the words.
"Go out and leave me alone."
A cold sneer hung on the corners of Barcas's mouth.
"How cool. A wife cursing his husband before he sets out for battle."
Her face, which had been flushed red with anger, turned pale in an instant.
The woman, who had been shrugging her shoulders as if to rebut, lowered her eyes and bit her lip the next moment. Barkas looked down at her expressionlessly, letting out a dry laugh as he stood up.
"Let me see for myself how well your prayers are heard."
The woman's face crumbled miserably at the sarcastic remarks.
The woman, glaring at him with reddened eyes, muttered in a voice mixed with metallic sounds.
"Get lost right now. Go away and never come back."
Barcas soon left the bedroom, looking down at that face as if nailed to the spot. Just as he slammed the door shut behind him, the sound of something breaking came from inside. It seemed she was taking her anger out on objects again.
Barcas let out a sigh and gave instructions to the maids standing in the hallway in a calm tone.
"I will have a priestess on standby downstairs at all times, so take immediate action if the condition worsens."
“I will keep that in mind.”
He soon went down the stairs and left the empty house.
At that moment, he felt something cold brush against his cheek.
He lifted his head. The white light was caused by clouds scattering fine snow. Barcas brushed it off with an indifferent touch and soon began walking again.
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