At those words, the corners of Erna's eyes narrowed fiercely.
"Why?"
"What...?"
“Why should I do that? Whether I do it or not, why are you telling me what to do? And what are you going to do if you can't stand seeing that?”
“...”
Callion could not find a word to answer Erna's words.
Honestly, even if Erna had a lover like the other nobles, what did it matter to him? But the thought of that made his
"Why?"
"What...?"
“Why should I do that? Whether I do it or not, why are you telling me what to do? And what are you going to do if you can't stand seeing that?”
“...”
Callion could not find a word to answer Erna's words.
Honestly, even if Erna had a lover like the other nobles, what did it matter to him? But the thought of that made his
stomach churn.
Erna is spending time with another man.
Eating, sleeping, and talking with another guy...
Over the past few weeks, Callion had seen Erna in various ways. As expected, the first thing he remembered was her gasping for breath in his arms, frantically calling his name.
The mere thought of her wrapping her arms around his neck and sobbing always made Callion's mind go blank.
Erna swayed with every movement he made. Then, the moment Callion could no longer hold back and unleashed his desire, Erna also trembled while tightly embracing him.
The satisfaction of that moment was incomparable to anything else.
Thinking that another guy might see that, he felt like he should take care of him first before the monster.
'That's not all.'
Erna on the bed was not the only thing he didn't want to share with others.
Outside, Erna acted calm and dignified, pretending to be a perfect Grand Duke, but as soon as she entered the room, she would lazily roll around like a cat on a spring day.
She would lie down on the sofa as if it were her bed, read a book, then suddenly get up to examine the map, and if she came across an unfamiliar area, she would ask him all sorts of questions.
At first, he thought it was a bother. It wasn't as if he was the one answering the map, so why was she chattering away so annoyingly? However, all of Erna's questions were related to the internal affairs of Hessengard, and he answered them diligently with the mindset that it was an extension of his work.
As a result, the conversation between the two was bound to get long.
The conversation, which began with the agenda Vanessa had brought, would inevitably end with a discussion about the overall tax rates for Hessengard for the following year.
Callion didn't mind the time the conversation went on. No, he was actually a little glad to have someone to think through such problems with.
No matter how much Vanessa offered advice and suggestions on behalf of the council, the final decision-making power rested with the Grand Duke of Hessengard. She always had to consider how her single decision would affect the people.
Is this the right way to do it? Will there be any problems? Is there no other way?
Even though ten years had passed since he became Grand Duke, Callion always felt as though he were being tested.
The anxiety that he might be cast out of Hessengard if he made even the slightest mistake still lingered within him.
He had always thought that he was the only one feeling that way, but while talking with Erna, Callion realized that she, too, harbored the same anxiety as he.
Was that the reason? From some point on, Callion would subtly start asking Erna various questions first. Whenever that happened, Erna would listen to him seriously and share her thoughts.
When he was sitting at his desk processing documents, Erna was often asleep on the sofa.
Callion would often stare intently at the figure asleep with an old magic book, whose contents were unknown, resting on her chest. The sound of firewood crackling in the fireplace. The warm air. And the soft, shallow breathing of Erna.
Callion realized what he didn't want to share with others.
Shared worries, heated conversations. And... Erna’s face was sleeping peacefully.
That was a side of Erna that only he knew. He absolutely did not want anyone else to know that side.
Even though Erna was glaring at him right in front of him, the inside of his palms tingled, and his heart pounded. It felt as if a bird was flying wildly inside his chest.
Callion has been desperately denying what that tickling sensation means until now.
He thought it was due to the monster's poison. The priest said there was no such thing, but there had to be. Otherwise, he would have had to admit it.
The fact that he ended up falling for his wife, whom he had called a "pumpkin" and found annoying for the past 10 years.
Erna tried to pull her wrist free, but Callion held her hand too tightly. She thought about kicking him away, but that didn't feel right either. She was just tired and exhausted. On top of that, she was crying, leaving her head feeling numb.
'Should I blow it away with magic?'
But he couldn't do that. He hated the sight of him so much that he didn't want to mercilessly throw him around just because of that. What would I do if Callion fainted if I did?
'It's because the ruins are scary.'
Callion was infuriating, but here, he was better than nothing. Then, should I beat him up with magic when we get outside?
...Is that possible?
“...”
Erna bit her lip. If she had intended to, she would have blown him away when Callion was following her. But she didn't. She was annoyed by the fact that Callion was following her, yet at the same time, she felt relieved.
Erna looked at Callion, who was frozen while holding onto her. She knew perfectly well why she was speaking to Callion like this and getting annoyed.
He hated that Callion was with another woman.
The thought that the voice that had whispered her name all night would call another woman's name that way made a sharp pain in a corner of her chest, as if pierced by an invisible needle.
It was Callion who stroked her hair so vigorously that it became annoying when she lay down. After they had sex, he meticulously wiped her down, gave her water to drink, and loosened up the knots all over her body.
It was the first time in her life that someone had touched her like that. He acted as he pleased while making love, but once it was over, he acted as if nothing had happened, carefully holding a thin glass.
So, Erna liked the nights with Callion, even though they were difficult.
It wasn't bad to be intimate with him, but she liked the hand that looked after her afterward. More than five fragments of the ocean.
Erna's vision blurred with tears. She wanted to calmly refute Callion's words point by point, just as she used to. Why is something that used to be so easy so difficult now?
'It's because I'm scared.'
It wasn't the ruins that were scary. What was frightening was the fact that Callion might not come near her anymore.
She feels as if a successor is born, which was the original goal; he will revert to his indifferent gaze like before. He feels like he will turn his head away in annoyance, scoffing at her like a pumpkin, just like before.
Callion would not know. He would not know how much she strives for the people at the Grand Duke's castle. She was a Princess abandoned in Havand.
That is why, thinking that she would have nowhere to go if abandoned even here, she always had to smile at the people of Hessengard. Although she was a Grand Duke, she could be replaced by someone else at any time, so she had to make no mistakes.
The reason she studied magic so diligently was not only to avoid returning to Havand, but also because she desperately wanted to show it to the people of Hessengard.
I am useful.
So please don't throw me away.
Among such people, Callion was the only one she didn't have to try to win over.
'I don't need your affection.'
There must have always been a thought like that in the back of her mind. Perhaps that is why she blurted it out so carelessly. But to think that she would actually wish Callion were by her side now.
Erna had no choice but to admit it now. The fact that she wanted her husband, whom she had seen as nothing but a dried earthworm for ten years.
At that moment, Callion, who had been frozen, opened his mouth.
"I will try."
“...?”
It was a completely random remark. She couldn't understand why such an answer suddenly came out in response to the question of what he would do if she dated other men. She wondered if he was joking, but Callion's expression was serious.
“What do you want from your partner?”
“...?”
“You said you were going to enjoy life. Who do you plan to meet to have fun?”
“Handsome! With a great body... A kind person!”
"Then you can just enjoy yourself with me."
"What?"
"It seems I've met the first two conditions, so I guess I just need to fulfill the third. Tell me what kind of tenderness you want. I will follow your instructions exactly."
What Callion was saying wasn't difficult, yet Erna couldn't quite understand him. To have fun with her? And to say he would act affectionately? At this rate, it was just...
So, date me.
...Doesn't it seem like a confession?
The moment she realized that fact, the strength drained from her body, and she slumped down. Callion skillfully held Erna in his arms and patted her back. This was the tenderness Erna had longed for.
“Erna, yes?”
Anxiety was ingrained in his voice as he urged for an answer. Callion knew all too well. He knew that, after ten years of marriage, it was not something a husband should say to his wife. But even so, he did not want to spend the time following this like the past ten years again.
Callion wanted to catch his wife as soon as possible.
"Please..."
At his plea, Erna looked dazed, then buried her face in his chest again. Then she nodded quietly enough for only Callion to notice.
A smile spread across Callion's face. That was enough of an answer.
Callion looked at Erna, who was asleep with her head on his leg. Erna collapsed deeply and fell asleep as if she had suddenly fainted.
He rested her head on his leg so she could sleep more comfortably, and her breathing became more relaxed.
But that was only for a moment. Callion carefully placed his hand on Erna's forehead.
'She has a fever.'
It was clearly getting higher than before. On top of that, she continued to sweat profusely and curled up her body more and more.
"It hurts..."
Callion became anxious upon hearing the groaning voice uttered in her sleep. He had already thought she looked tired lately, but it seemed that everything that had built up had truly gnawed away at Erna's body.
'We have to get out somehow.'
No matter how much one looks at the ceiling, there is no sign of the passageway opening. The people outside are also helpless.
After contemplating for a moment, Callion placed Erna's head on the blanket, stood up, and picked up his sword.
“Callion?”
At the sound, Erna immediately stood up, rubbed her eyes, and looked for him. Fear quickly settled in her eyes, which had been filled with faint pain. Erna hurriedly crawled over and grabbed the hem of his clothes. Seeing her approaching him made him feel pity, yet he also felt proud that she seemed to be relying on him.
Callion bent down and took Erna's hand that was holding him.
“I don’t think we can stay like this forever. I think we need to look around inside a bit more... Can you get up?”
Nodding.
Erna nodded weakly and tried to get up. However, before she could stand properly, she staggered and slumped back onto the blanket. Seeing this, Callion hesitated for a moment, then lifted her onto his back.
"What are you doing?"
A voice cracked from the fever came from Erna's mouth.
“It can’t be helped. If we want to go together, I have no choice but to carry you.”
As if agreeing with those words, Erna buried her head in Callion's back. Callion became anxious at the hot breath he felt from behind.
He thought it might be a cold, but Erna was clutching her stomach unusually tightly. He felt uneasy.
'We have to get out quickly.'
Callion picked up Erna and walked into the ruins.
Even though she was in pain, Erna did not seem to have fallen asleep; she occasionally used simple magic on his back to help him with his exploration. She lit up dark places and used magic to search the high places out of sight.
Callion walked through the ruins without resting while carrying Erna on his back. The ruins did not consist of just a single layer.
Callion walked up the stairs and saw the long, straight road. Stone doors were visible here and there, as if one side of the road was entirely made up of rooms.
Callion walked slowly down the hallway. Then, when he stopped in the middle of the hallway, he realized that there was a door there that was much larger than anything he had seen so far.
The moment he saw it, Callion felt a sense of familiarity.
Climbing the stairs, a long corridor stretches out. And a large door in the center. This is definitely...
“Callion.”
Erna's terrified voice was heard from behind him.
“I’ve been thinking for a while now... doesn’t the structure here look similar to the Grand Duke’s castle?”
Erna is spending time with another man.
Eating, sleeping, and talking with another guy...
Over the past few weeks, Callion had seen Erna in various ways. As expected, the first thing he remembered was her gasping for breath in his arms, frantically calling his name.
The mere thought of her wrapping her arms around his neck and sobbing always made Callion's mind go blank.
Erna swayed with every movement he made. Then, the moment Callion could no longer hold back and unleashed his desire, Erna also trembled while tightly embracing him.
The satisfaction of that moment was incomparable to anything else.
Thinking that another guy might see that, he felt like he should take care of him first before the monster.
'That's not all.'
Erna on the bed was not the only thing he didn't want to share with others.
Outside, Erna acted calm and dignified, pretending to be a perfect Grand Duke, but as soon as she entered the room, she would lazily roll around like a cat on a spring day.
She would lie down on the sofa as if it were her bed, read a book, then suddenly get up to examine the map, and if she came across an unfamiliar area, she would ask him all sorts of questions.
At first, he thought it was a bother. It wasn't as if he was the one answering the map, so why was she chattering away so annoyingly? However, all of Erna's questions were related to the internal affairs of Hessengard, and he answered them diligently with the mindset that it was an extension of his work.
As a result, the conversation between the two was bound to get long.
The conversation, which began with the agenda Vanessa had brought, would inevitably end with a discussion about the overall tax rates for Hessengard for the following year.
Callion didn't mind the time the conversation went on. No, he was actually a little glad to have someone to think through such problems with.
No matter how much Vanessa offered advice and suggestions on behalf of the council, the final decision-making power rested with the Grand Duke of Hessengard. She always had to consider how her single decision would affect the people.
Is this the right way to do it? Will there be any problems? Is there no other way?
Even though ten years had passed since he became Grand Duke, Callion always felt as though he were being tested.
The anxiety that he might be cast out of Hessengard if he made even the slightest mistake still lingered within him.
He had always thought that he was the only one feeling that way, but while talking with Erna, Callion realized that she, too, harbored the same anxiety as he.
Was that the reason? From some point on, Callion would subtly start asking Erna various questions first. Whenever that happened, Erna would listen to him seriously and share her thoughts.
When he was sitting at his desk processing documents, Erna was often asleep on the sofa.
Callion would often stare intently at the figure asleep with an old magic book, whose contents were unknown, resting on her chest. The sound of firewood crackling in the fireplace. The warm air. And the soft, shallow breathing of Erna.
Callion realized what he didn't want to share with others.
Shared worries, heated conversations. And... Erna’s face was sleeping peacefully.
That was a side of Erna that only he knew. He absolutely did not want anyone else to know that side.
Even though Erna was glaring at him right in front of him, the inside of his palms tingled, and his heart pounded. It felt as if a bird was flying wildly inside his chest.
Callion has been desperately denying what that tickling sensation means until now.
He thought it was due to the monster's poison. The priest said there was no such thing, but there had to be. Otherwise, he would have had to admit it.
The fact that he ended up falling for his wife, whom he had called a "pumpkin" and found annoying for the past 10 years.
Erna tried to pull her wrist free, but Callion held her hand too tightly. She thought about kicking him away, but that didn't feel right either. She was just tired and exhausted. On top of that, she was crying, leaving her head feeling numb.
'Should I blow it away with magic?'
But he couldn't do that. He hated the sight of him so much that he didn't want to mercilessly throw him around just because of that. What would I do if Callion fainted if I did?
'It's because the ruins are scary.'
Callion was infuriating, but here, he was better than nothing. Then, should I beat him up with magic when we get outside?
...Is that possible?
“...”
Erna bit her lip. If she had intended to, she would have blown him away when Callion was following her. But she didn't. She was annoyed by the fact that Callion was following her, yet at the same time, she felt relieved.
Erna looked at Callion, who was frozen while holding onto her. She knew perfectly well why she was speaking to Callion like this and getting annoyed.
He hated that Callion was with another woman.
The thought that the voice that had whispered her name all night would call another woman's name that way made a sharp pain in a corner of her chest, as if pierced by an invisible needle.
It was Callion who stroked her hair so vigorously that it became annoying when she lay down. After they had sex, he meticulously wiped her down, gave her water to drink, and loosened up the knots all over her body.
It was the first time in her life that someone had touched her like that. He acted as he pleased while making love, but once it was over, he acted as if nothing had happened, carefully holding a thin glass.
So, Erna liked the nights with Callion, even though they were difficult.
It wasn't bad to be intimate with him, but she liked the hand that looked after her afterward. More than five fragments of the ocean.
Erna's vision blurred with tears. She wanted to calmly refute Callion's words point by point, just as she used to. Why is something that used to be so easy so difficult now?
'It's because I'm scared.'
It wasn't the ruins that were scary. What was frightening was the fact that Callion might not come near her anymore.
She feels as if a successor is born, which was the original goal; he will revert to his indifferent gaze like before. He feels like he will turn his head away in annoyance, scoffing at her like a pumpkin, just like before.
Callion would not know. He would not know how much she strives for the people at the Grand Duke's castle. She was a Princess abandoned in Havand.
That is why, thinking that she would have nowhere to go if abandoned even here, she always had to smile at the people of Hessengard. Although she was a Grand Duke, she could be replaced by someone else at any time, so she had to make no mistakes.
The reason she studied magic so diligently was not only to avoid returning to Havand, but also because she desperately wanted to show it to the people of Hessengard.
I am useful.
So please don't throw me away.
Among such people, Callion was the only one she didn't have to try to win over.
'I don't need your affection.'
There must have always been a thought like that in the back of her mind. Perhaps that is why she blurted it out so carelessly. But to think that she would actually wish Callion were by her side now.
Erna had no choice but to admit it now. The fact that she wanted her husband, whom she had seen as nothing but a dried earthworm for ten years.
At that moment, Callion, who had been frozen, opened his mouth.
"I will try."
“...?”
It was a completely random remark. She couldn't understand why such an answer suddenly came out in response to the question of what he would do if she dated other men. She wondered if he was joking, but Callion's expression was serious.
“What do you want from your partner?”
“...?”
“You said you were going to enjoy life. Who do you plan to meet to have fun?”
“Handsome! With a great body... A kind person!”
"Then you can just enjoy yourself with me."
"What?"
"It seems I've met the first two conditions, so I guess I just need to fulfill the third. Tell me what kind of tenderness you want. I will follow your instructions exactly."
What Callion was saying wasn't difficult, yet Erna couldn't quite understand him. To have fun with her? And to say he would act affectionately? At this rate, it was just...
So, date me.
...Doesn't it seem like a confession?
The moment she realized that fact, the strength drained from her body, and she slumped down. Callion skillfully held Erna in his arms and patted her back. This was the tenderness Erna had longed for.
“Erna, yes?”
Anxiety was ingrained in his voice as he urged for an answer. Callion knew all too well. He knew that, after ten years of marriage, it was not something a husband should say to his wife. But even so, he did not want to spend the time following this like the past ten years again.
Callion wanted to catch his wife as soon as possible.
"Please..."
At his plea, Erna looked dazed, then buried her face in his chest again. Then she nodded quietly enough for only Callion to notice.
A smile spread across Callion's face. That was enough of an answer.
***
Callion looked at Erna, who was asleep with her head on his leg. Erna collapsed deeply and fell asleep as if she had suddenly fainted.
He rested her head on his leg so she could sleep more comfortably, and her breathing became more relaxed.
But that was only for a moment. Callion carefully placed his hand on Erna's forehead.
'She has a fever.'
It was clearly getting higher than before. On top of that, she continued to sweat profusely and curled up her body more and more.
"It hurts..."
Callion became anxious upon hearing the groaning voice uttered in her sleep. He had already thought she looked tired lately, but it seemed that everything that had built up had truly gnawed away at Erna's body.
'We have to get out somehow.'
No matter how much one looks at the ceiling, there is no sign of the passageway opening. The people outside are also helpless.
After contemplating for a moment, Callion placed Erna's head on the blanket, stood up, and picked up his sword.
“Callion?”
At the sound, Erna immediately stood up, rubbed her eyes, and looked for him. Fear quickly settled in her eyes, which had been filled with faint pain. Erna hurriedly crawled over and grabbed the hem of his clothes. Seeing her approaching him made him feel pity, yet he also felt proud that she seemed to be relying on him.
Callion bent down and took Erna's hand that was holding him.
“I don’t think we can stay like this forever. I think we need to look around inside a bit more... Can you get up?”
Nodding.
Erna nodded weakly and tried to get up. However, before she could stand properly, she staggered and slumped back onto the blanket. Seeing this, Callion hesitated for a moment, then lifted her onto his back.
"What are you doing?"
A voice cracked from the fever came from Erna's mouth.
“It can’t be helped. If we want to go together, I have no choice but to carry you.”
As if agreeing with those words, Erna buried her head in Callion's back. Callion became anxious at the hot breath he felt from behind.
He thought it might be a cold, but Erna was clutching her stomach unusually tightly. He felt uneasy.
'We have to get out quickly.'
Callion picked up Erna and walked into the ruins.
Even though she was in pain, Erna did not seem to have fallen asleep; she occasionally used simple magic on his back to help him with his exploration. She lit up dark places and used magic to search the high places out of sight.
Callion walked through the ruins without resting while carrying Erna on his back. The ruins did not consist of just a single layer.
Callion walked up the stairs and saw the long, straight road. Stone doors were visible here and there, as if one side of the road was entirely made up of rooms.
Callion walked slowly down the hallway. Then, when he stopped in the middle of the hallway, he realized that there was a door there that was much larger than anything he had seen so far.
The moment he saw it, Callion felt a sense of familiarity.
Climbing the stairs, a long corridor stretches out. And a large door in the center. This is definitely...
“Callion.”
Erna's terrified voice was heard from behind him.
“I’ve been thinking for a while now... doesn’t the structure here look similar to the Grand Duke’s castle?”
Previous Next
Comments
Post a Comment