When Raul openly showed his displeasure, Marion replied.
"I used to be like that too. I never asked for help."
"...Ha?"
"But I am grateful. I will help you drink it once the tea has cooled down to a suitable temperature."
Raul made a bewildered expression, and Marion took out the medicine she had brought.
"So, when do you plan to leave?"
"I work hard here, so I'm sure I'm not eating without paying."
"That’s not what I meant."
Raul, having spoken curtly, glanced at Marion as she moved busily. He wondered if her hair had grown long over the past two months. Marion's silver hair extended just past her shoulders. Raul frowned as he examined the slender neck and shoulders revealed beneath the silver hair.
'You're too thin.'
He thought it was a mystery why she was so weak when he had sent enough money.
"Please allow me to help just until the Marquis leaves for Sector 1."
Raul could not find a suitable answer to Marion's offer of painkillers.
What she said earlier wasn't wrong either.
'I didn't ask for your help.'
It was done with good intentions, but he made the decision unilaterally.
As Raul remained silent, Marion picked up the teacup and handed it to him.
"Can you drink tea with your left hand?"
"...Indeed."
Raul was dumbfounded by Marion, who was acting as if she were taking care of a child.
'Anyway, aren't you scared of me?'
Generally, people were afraid of him. It was because he looked scary and also had a scar like this on his face.
However, Marion showed no sign of it at all, which actually made Raul feel flustered.
“Go out now.”
Raul roughly snatched the teacup and ordered the guest to leave.
***
Three days later, Raul was passing through the large gate of Zone 1.
"Long live Marquis Calix! Long live the Urcheka Empire!"
A procession welcoming him stretched endlessly. Defeating the pirates who threatened the Urcheka Empire was an undeniable and great achievement.
However, Raul found playing the role of a victorious general to be quite uncomfortable.
He wanted to run away immediately, but it was difficult to refuse since it was a victory ceremony hosted by His Majesty the Emperor.
"Marquis Calix, I hold your bravery in high regard."
The Emperor commended Raul for his military achievements by granting him a new territory.
Raul just gave an awkward smile amidst the nobles showering him with enthusiastic praise.
And only after spotting someone did his stiff expression soften.
"Larissa! Harriet!"
Raul embraced the beautifully dressed Larissa and Harriet at once.
"Uncle Raul, you look great today!"
Larissa's eyes widened, as if she found it fascinating that Raul was wearing a formal uniform, unlike usual.
"Uncle has always been cool!"
“Yes!”
Raul, holding Larissa high in his arms, greeted Shioana and Duke Bernhard.
“Is your arm okay?”
As soon as Shioana saw Raul, she started worrying.
"Uncle, did you get hurt fighting the enemy?"
As Larissa choked up, Raul shrugged his shoulders and replied.
"To me, having faced over a thousand pirates, this is nothing."
"... Wow!"
Larissa, her eyes wide with admiration at Raul's exaggeration, kept exclaiming in amazement.
Just then, Shioana gave her husband, Etienne, a subtle glance. Etienne quickly embraced Larissa.
"Shall we go over there?"
Duke Bernhard, holding his daughter, led the way while holding Harriet's hand, and Shioana linked arms with Raul.
"Are you sure it's really okay?"
"The arrow just grazed it, so there's no need to worry."
"It just grazed you, but you're wrapped in a bandage like that?"
"Still, I was lucky."
"That's right, it's a relief that it stopped. Really."
Shioana gently stroked the back of Raul's rough hand, and he responded by patting her on the shoulder.
"I'm telling you, my secretary is a real worry doll."
"That's because the boss doesn't spare himself."
Upon hearing the word "Secretary," Shioana felt as though she had returned to the past for just a brief moment.
Just then, Larissa looked back and shouted loudly.
"Uncle! There's something delicious over there!"
Raul nodded, and Shioana, who was watching, also brightened up.
If Raul hadn't reached out a hand to her during that very difficult time, she wouldn't have even dreamed of the scene we see today.
"Thank you so much, Raul."
“I am more grateful.”
The moment their eyes met, smiles bloomed on Shioana and Raul's faces at the same time.
***
Inside the carriage heading to District 8, Raul muttered as he roughly unbuttoned the crowbart he had dressed in for formality.
"I can finally breathe a little easier now."
Aside from being able to meet Shioana and his nephew, Zone 1 had absolutely no advantages for him.
Raul, having returned to the Calix Marquisate, spent every day busily.
In the morning, he processed letters and documents from Zone 1, and in the afternoon, he went out to the port to supervise and manage naval affairs.
"We can't let our guard down because the inland Zerbia Empire is constantly eyeing the sea."
For the growth of the empire, controlling the seas was key, along with territorial expansion. For this reason, Raul was always in a state of tension.
As the sun was setting, Raul stopped at the square on his way back and stood near the fountain.
'I didn't think the scenery would be this beautiful.'
They say you only realize the value of something precious after you lose it. You have no idea how much he missed this place while he was living in Zone 1.
Water flowing from the fountain sculpted into a benevolent mother and child splashed in all directions. As light reflected off the water droplets, the entire square seemed to sparkle.
Raul was sitting on a chair near the fountain, closing his eyes tightly and enjoying the silence, when a loud noise came from somewhere.
"I just asked you to have a cup of tea, so why are you playing hard to get?"
Annoyed that his brief peace had been interrupted, Raul twisted his body and looked in the direction of the sound.
There, a man was pulling a woman's wrist. No matter how he looked at it, it didn't seem like a normal romantic relationship.
"...Ha."
He glanced around and saw that all the passersby were pretending not to notice and walking along the road. It seemed they didn't want to suffer any unnecessary trouble because the man was acting so roughly.
“I can’t do it.”
At the appearance of Raul, the man suddenly stopped what he was doing. And the short, chubby man quickly bowed his head to Rain.
"Greetings to Your Excellency, the Marquis."
Raul, who had been glaring at the other person crookedly, opened his mouth.
"What on earth is going on that they're making so much noise in a public place?"
"Marquis, it is nothing serious, just a trivial lovers' quarrel."
At the man's answer, Raul clung to the woman standing there with her face almost completely covered by a cloak.
"Is what this person said true?"
"..."
The other person was trembling, perhaps out of fear. Having no choice but to bend down, Raul was able to see Marion's blue eyes at that moment.
Raul became inexplicably angry when he found out that it was Marion who had been harassed by the man.
Clenching his fist tightly, he spoke coldly.
“Just go.”
"Marquis, that woman seduced me."
As the man who had been making excuses hurriedly ran away, Raul, who had been watching disapprovingly, spoke to Marion.
"Where are you staying right now? Lead the way."
Marion left the mansion while Raul went to Zone 1, and they met for the first time in quite a while.
Marion turned into a dark alley in a neighborhood on the outskirts. Then, standing in front of a small door, Marion opened her mouth.
“Please come in.”
"..."
It was only after she lit a small candle that the interior became bright. In the narrow room, a discarded rocking chair and a table with one wobbly leg were the only furnishings.
"You can sit here."
Marion took off her cloak after offering the rocking chair with a partially broken backrest to Raul. Then, as if troubled, she whispered softly.
"I don't really have anything suitable to offer you."
"Don't talk nonsense about hospitality; just sit down."
Raul, having given up the only chair to Marion, let out a deep sigh as he looked at the ceiling and the view of the room, which felt like his head would touch it.
"Why didn't you take the money I gave you?"
Raul tried to fulfill his responsibilities as a guardian.
He provided enough money for Marion to make a fresh start. However, she left Calix Manor empty-handed.
"I can't be indebted to you, Marquis, any longer."
Raul snorted at Marion's calm words.
"If you stay here, you'll develop illnesses you didn't have before."
"It is not your concern, sir."
Raul swallowed a short groan and spoke.
"It is indeed my business as the guardian."
"But I'm already over twenty."
A fierce fire flared up in Raul's eyes as he looked down at Marion, who was responding coldly.
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