Forgotten Fields - Chapter 296

Suddenly, the inside of her throat tightened. It had been nearly half a year since their last reunion. Since they had only briefly crossed paths from a distance before that, it had been two years since they had spoken face-to-face like this. However, there was no sign of joy on Barcas's face. On the contrary, he even looked slightly displeased.

She clutched the damp hem of her clothes tightly. It was a natural reaction when she thought about how she had treated him in the past.

Thalia, having comforted herself like that, tried hard to speak nonchalantly.

"No. Khan hates it when anyone other than me touches him."

"Didn't you claim that this wolf does not harm others?"

Barcas leaned intimidatingly toward her.

"If that is true, leaving it in the hands of the servants for a while won't cause any problems."

Thalia swallowed hard.

He had a much sturdier build than she remembered. Thalia glanced at his broad shoulders and the chest muscles clearly visible through his wet clothes, then lowered her gaze to Khan, trying hard to act as if nothing was wrong.

Barcas, looking down at the scene with narrowed eyes, asked suspiciously

"Your Highness, are you not convinced that this wolf is harmless?"

“It’s not like that!”

Thalia suddenly lifted her head high.

Barcas was still watching Khan as if on guard.

A sudden wave of disappointment washed over her. She hadn't expected him to recognize Khan immediately, but still, she had secretly hoped he might feel an instinctive attraction.

She grumbled dissatisfiedly.

"And stop calling him 'wolf, wolf.' I told you his name is Khan. Would you like it if someone kept calling you 'human, human'? If you're going to call someone, call them by their proper name."

A deep furrow furrowed between Barcas's eyebrows. He gave orders to his servants as if he couldn't even be bothered to argue.

"Take good care of that wolf."

Then, he forcibly stood her up and walked toward the door.

Instead of following obediently, Thalia tugged at his clothes and shot a rebellious glare.

"I told you this kid's name is Khan. Call him Khan properly."

Barcas, who had been looking down at her in disbelief, finally let out a sigh.

"Khan."

Thalia raised the corners of her mouth as she felt a lump in her throat.

"Do you want to touch it? The fur is super soft and fluffy."

"..."

“Go ahead and touch it.”

As she urged him repeatedly, Barcas reluctantly reached out his hand. Thalia watched his reaction with eyes full of anticipation.

"How is it? Isn't it well-behaved?"

Barcas did not reply. He merely carelessly stroked Khan's head with an indifferent hand, then withdrew his hand without hesitation. As if he had done his duty with that, he spoke in an indifferent tone.

"Let's go to your room now."

Thalia glared at his back with a sullen expression. She felt spiteful, wondering how he could be so indifferent. She patted Khan, who seemed just as hurt as she was, and trudged after him.

"First, you should change out of your wet clothes."

As they went up the stairs and reached the bedroom door, Barcas glanced back at her and spoke.

"Please call a maid and change into new clothes. I will also come to see you after I have tidied myself."

Thalia firmly suppressed the urge to cover herself with her coat and nodded nonchalantly.

As he always did, he went straight up the stairs as if to use the room attached to the study. Thalia, who had been watching his receding figure, soon opened the door and stepped into the room.

"Bring the dress I bought last month, and don't forget to bring the jewelry box."

Thalia, having quickly given instructions to the maids who had followed to attend to her, immediately took off her wet clothes and wiped herself with a dry towel.

In the meantime, Brisa, who had hurriedly brought new clothes, dressed her in a blue velvet dress.

Thalia stood in front of the mirror, carefully examining her attire, then pulled the collar slightly to adjust the neckline. Even a single small wrinkle, which she normally wouldn't have paid attention to, was bothering her.

"Redo my hair, redo my makeup, and make it as glamorous as possible..."

Thalia, who had been urgently pouring out instructions, suddenly fell silent. She was worried that if she dressed up too conspicuously, she might look like someone desperate to impress him.

"Dress up lavishly, but make sure it doesn't look like you put a lot of effort into it."

Brisa, who was taking out beauty products and laying them out on the table, looked at her with a bewildered expression.

Thalia urged in an impatient tone.

"What are you doing? Hurry up."

Brisa hurriedly picked up a comb and carefully combed her wet hair.

Meanwhile, another maid took out the jewelry and placed it on the dressing table one by one. Thalia put on earrings with delicate craftsmanship and a silver necklace adorned with a deep blue gem. After that, she lightly sprinkled pearl powder to give her skin a luster, dyed her lips with red dye, and then applied a thin layer of rose oil to her exposed nape and shoulder.

Finally, as she finished getting ready, she rose from her seat and draped a thin shawl over her shoulders. Just as she was about to leave the bedroom, a knock was heard from outside.

"It's me. May I come inside?"

It was Barcas's voice.

Thalia hurriedly sat down on the chair. Then, she feigned a relaxed voice.

“You’re welcome to come in.”

Soon after, the door opened, and Barcas appeared.

Thalia involuntarily held her breath. With his wet hair swept back, revealing a forehead as smooth as marble, he looked so young and fresh that it erased even his usual cold impression. She was momentarily entranced by his handsome features. Coming to her senses belatedly, Thalia spoke in a forced, nonchalant tone.

"What are you doing instead of coming in and sitting down?"

The man who had been standing idly by the door finally entered the room.

Thalia felt her throat parched for no reason, picked up a glass, and pressed her lips together. Then, handing a glass to Barcas sitting across from her, she opened her mouth, feigning nonchalance.

"I heard the news that the war will end soon. I heard a peace treaty will be signed?"

"It is not yet the stage to give a definitive answer. The talks have just begun, so we will have to wait and see how things develop."

He replied calmly.

Thalia clutched the glass tightly.

"Does that mean we might be heading back to the battlefield sooner or later?"

As he brought the glass to his lips to conceal his agitation, a calm explanation followed.

"Unless an all-out war breaks out, I will not be going out on expedition again. After all, I cannot leave the Grand Duchy undefended indefinitely."

"...I see."

A sigh of relief escaped before she even realized it. Blushing and adjusting the hem of her skirt, worried that Barcas might have noticed, he leaned back against the chair as if tired and began to speak in a low tone.

"Now... let us discuss the matter regarding that Wolf Khan."

"I told you there's nothing wrong with my Khan."

Thalia replied in a somewhat nervous tone.

"I have been looking after Khan since he was just a tiny little kid. But I have never once seen him harm or attack an innocent person! Everyone is just finding fault with him because he is a monster."

As she leaned back against the armrest of the chair and rubbed her temples, Barcas looked at her with a sharp gaze.

"Who isn't innocent?"

Her heart sank for a moment.

Thalia clenched her fist tightly. Sweat broke out on her back at the gaze that seemed to peer right into her mind.

Thalia pulled the corners of her mouth up as if to hide it and nonchalantly retorted.

"He just acted a little threateningly toward the person who showed me hostility. Other than that, he always behaved well. If you are really skeptical, ask my personal maids."

Suddenly, his eyes narrowed.

"Who showed a hostile attitude toward Your Highness?"

Thalia hunched her shoulders. The intimidating aura emanating from him sent shivers down her spine for a moment. However, outwardly, she shrugged as if it were no big deal.

"Who else could it be? Your brothers and the retainers of the House of Sheerkhan. Ah, and there is also the old High Priest of Kalmor. That old man seems to think I am a corrupted being beyond redemption."

Barcas's lips hardened. Fearing that she might be thought to be sowing discord, she added, feigning generosity.

"Well, that’s understandable. As if my unholy birth wasn’t enough, I’m leading a creature of the devil around, so it must be hard for the Order to tolerate my very existence."

"Have they ever committed direct disrespect to Your Highness?"

"He has never openly criticized or insulted me. He merely attacks me indirectly during their sermons by preaching about the impurity of monsters or how great a sin it is not to follow the doctrine."

"So, did you drastically cut the annual donations to the Great Sanctuary?"

"I heard that I have that much decision-making authority."

She spat it out defensively, fearing he might blame her. However, Barcas did not seem particularly offended by her unilateral decision.

He said as if it were no big deal.

"You may continue to decide how the allocated budget is used according to Your Highness's will."

Her relief at the generous answer was short-lived, as he added coldly.

"However, we need to reconsider keeping Khan within the castle. Isn't Your Highness facing unnecessary attacks simply because he commands monsters?"

"I don't care what anyone says. At most, they just gossip behind my back. I can put up with that."

"A considerable number of beast-like monsters inhabit this area. Whenever they cause trouble, people will blame Your Highness's wolf. This time, too…"

After pausing for a moment as if choosing his last words, he soon blurted it out directly.

"I heard that it aroused unwarranted suspicion."

"As for Marisen, the misunderstanding about her has already been cleared up."

Thalia mobilized all the acting skills she had honed over the past decade to put on a nonchalant expression.

"During the time Marisen was missing, Khan spent time with me at Tiuran's residence. If you don't believe me, check with Tiuran. She will prove Khan's innocence."

He bent over onto his knees and stared intently at her face with a suspicious look.

"Why did you go to the healer's quarters?"

"Khan and I often spend time there. Tiuran's hut is quiet and peaceful."

Thinking of Tiuran calmed her anxious and nervous mind a little.

She faced him, looking much more relaxed. The man, who had been standing there frowning as if hurt by something and staring intently at her, retorted somewhat coldly.

"Regardless of whether it is true or not, many people believe that the wolf is dangerous."

"There are many people who like Khan, so when I took it out to the castle, everyone cheered."

"Was it the same size back then as it is now?"

Annoyance was slowly creeping in at the persistent criticism. She struggled to suppress her temper and calmly persuaded him.

"Everyone is just wary because Khan has grown so big in the last few months. Over time, they will naturally change their minds."

Barcas did not reply. Noticing that he was deep in thought, Thalia looked at him with a pleading gaze.

"You said you would grant me whatever I wanted. Is that no longer valid?"

Suddenly, his eyes darkened. Barcas, who had been stiffening his body as if struck in a vital spot, sprang from his seat and walked to the window. It was only after quite a while that a slightly hoarse voice was heard.

"...My point is still valid."

"Then let me live with Khan. If you allow it, the others won't be able to complain anymore."

He let out a long sigh and slowly nodded his head.

"Great."

Her joy at the barely granted permission was short-lived, as he soon added in a cold tone.

"However, if that wolf harms people, then there is nothing I can do either."

Thalia's expression clouded over as she recalled the sight of Khan biting Marisen. A strong sense of anxiety surged through her for a moment, but she firmly shook it off and spoke in a confident voice.

"That will absolutely never happen."

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