WNC 269

Rubel was terrified, thinking he was being left behind, but that wasn’t the case.

If the plan was to bring this child to the capital, he himself intended to go to the capital and find other ways to raise his realm. He could revisit the crystal cave he had visited before, or perhaps achieve a similar effect by consuming spiritual medicine with the help of Mana Stones.

Before trying to persuade Ruben with such words, he kept Ruben by his side and observed the Duke’s expression to hear the opinion of Felice, who had more information. Felice Withrow sighed and shook her head.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“There are too many people in the Imperial Palace. If Black Magic is truly involved, civilians with weak mental fortitude will easily be brainwashed, and then there’s no telling what kind of outlandish attacks the Second Prince might face.”

“⋯Ah.”

“Wesley’s suspicious behavior and subsequent disappearance, and the First Prince defending him… the situation looks strange. If we are to protect the Divine Blood, we must surround the Second Prince with elite knights of the highest caliber. The Withrow Duchy is a better option.”

Rubel let out a sigh of relief and relaxed his body, which had been held stiffly upright.

Hugh Benson, who had been listening beside him, swallowed a sigh, rubbed his dry face, and spoke in a tone of exhaustion.

“Why are you telling us this in front of us?”

“⋯Right. I intend to assign both Sir Hugh Benson and Sir Elvin Brooks to the mission of escorting the Second Prince.”

“Do we have the right to refuse?”

“Of course.”

“⋯And we have to answer now?”

“It would be appreciated if you did.”

Upon hearing this, Marianne suddenly clasped her hands together tightly and looked at Hugh Benson with a pleading expression.

Seeing this, Hugh Benson let out a disbelieving laugh, then shook his clasped fists and shoulders, making sniffling sounds.

Perhaps it was because Marianne’s antics were amusing, or perhaps he had already heard all he needed to, or maybe it was out of affection. Hugh Benson paused before he could grab his own hair, sighed, and nodded.

“Yes. I will do it.”

“Thank you. Then… since all of the Fourth Company has returned, with you being the last, we will hold a funeral first and then decide how to spend the remaining rest period. I will let you know.”

“What?”

A funeral? Everyone seated looked at Duke Withrow with stunned faces. She calmly rested her gaze on the table. For the first time, they noticed the unusual lack of strength in her voice.

“The black monsters came from the northeast. Naturally, only a very small number returned from the Second and Third Platoons of the Fourth Company, who had moved to the east of Dunmel Canyon. Having lost those we cherished for so long, I was prepared for you all to be lost as well.”

“⋯.”

“I am very glad you all returned alive, but the entire Duchy will likely be in mourning for a while. Can you understand?”

“⋯Yes.”

“Yes…”

At the Duke’s invitation, we observed a moment of silence for the deceased before leaving the drawing-room. A waiting attendant informed us that our accommodations had been reassigned and would guide us to the inner chambers of the Duchy.

Hugh Benson and Elvin Brooks were also assigned rooms on the same floor as us. We all gathered and inspected our rooms to ensure there were no suspicious items.

Hugh Benson lifted the bedding in his room and muttered with exhaustion.

“⋯A down comforter?”

“Now Senior, you get to taste the dirty noble life too.”

“This is the real deal.”

Marianne stuck out her tongue and fled behind Benjamin, but no one laughed.

Whether it was because Marianne’s behavior was funny, or because we had already heard everything, or perhaps out of affection. Hugh Benson stopped himself from tearing at his bangs, sighed, and nodded.

“Yes. I will do it.”

“Thank you. Then… since all of the Fourth Company has returned, with you being the last, we will hold a funeral first and then decide how to spend the remaining rest period. I will let you know.”

“What?”

A funeral? Everyone seated looked at Duke Withrow with stunned faces. She calmly rested her gaze on the table. For the first time, they noticed the unusual lack of strength in her voice.

“The black monsters came from the northeast. Naturally, only a very small number returned from the Second and Third Platoons of the Fourth Company, who had moved to the east of Dunmel Canyon. Having lost those we cherished for so long, I was prepared for you all to be lost as well.”

“⋯.”

“I am very glad you all returned alive, but the entire Duchy will likely be in mourning for a while. Can you understand?”

“⋯Yes.”

“Yes…”

At the Duke’s invitation, we observed a moment of silence for the deceased before leaving the drawing-room. A waiting attendant informed us that our accommodations had been reassigned and would guide us to the inner chambers of the Duchy.

Hugh Benson and Elvin Brooks were also assigned rooms on the same floor as us. We all gathered and inspected our rooms to ensure there were no suspicious items.

Hugh Benson lifted the bedding in his room and muttered with exhaustion.

“⋯A down comforter?”

“Now Senior, you get to taste the dirty noble life too.”

“This is the real deal.”

Marianne stuck out her tongue and fled behind Benjamin, but no one laughed.

Today, we would rest individually and eat in our own rooms. We all knew that ringing the bell would bring servants with food. Hugh Benson declared that he intended to sleep for three days straight and warned no one to wander outside. Everyone weakly agreed and retreated to their rooms.

However, I left without the children knowing.

Being chased by a horde of Trolls and running for four days had certainly been a grueling experience, but thanks to it, I arrived at the Duchy the day before Ruben’s birthday. I was in a hurry, with much left to do.

It was fortunate, at least. Thanks to being led around by Marianne and Hugh Benson, who had a good eye for things, I now knew the roads of the Withrow Duchy like the back of my hand. Merchants who remembered my previous large purchases opened their shops again, helping me choose my items.

Typically, in romance novels, gifts like jewels, flowers, or perfume were common.

That was my intention as well. It would be nice to gift a jewel that matched the child’s eye color or my own. However, he already wore a locket containing a portrait around his neck. Bracelets or rings would interfere with sword use. I had to ensure my gift wouldn’t threaten his life.

So, after much deliberation, I thought a belt, specifically one designed to hold a sword, with a Defense Magic Formula engraved on it, would be practical. I chose one adorned with Mana Stones and jewels, densely packed and beautiful.

After deciding on the gift, I spent a long time agonizing over perfume as well.

I liked his natural scent, but I remembered how he used to adorn his hair with fragrant holy oil on his days off. Perfume, holy oil. After debating between the two, I bought both.

And I bought a bouquet of flowers. I remembered Ruben bringing a huge bouquet to my graduation ceremony, so I chose one so large it was almost too much to carry. I worried about secretly bringing it to my room, but I figured it would be fine if I prepared everything and then called the child to my room.

I returned to my room with a load of purchases, carefully and stealthily, at two in the morning.

And I ran into Hugh Benson. Sensing someone entering stealthily, he had drawn a dagger, concerned. He looked me up and down, uttered a harsh word, and closed the door again.

I placed the items I had bought in the drawing-room attached to my room and couldn’t lift my head for a long time, feeling embarrassed.

❖ ❖ ❖

Ruben’s reaction was not entirely pleased.

The child had clearly looked happy when I quietly called him to my room as soon as dawn broke, nodding meekly and shyly with an “Mmm.” He had beamed at the large flowers and blushed at the holy oil and perfume, but he tilted his head slightly at the belt.

I couldn’t understand why at all. ⋯Did he not like the color? The merchant had praised it profusely, saying it would be a good, non-burdensome gift if I liked it alone and was not yet in a relationship.

I sat like a child being punished, quietly observing his expression. Rubel gently stroked the belt with his fingertips and murmured in a low voice.

“⋯Since it’s a gift, you fill it for me, Mika.”

“⋯What? Ah… Yes.”

Me? Should I?

After all, when he gifted me the locket, Ruben had fastened it for me.

I nodded obediently and sat beside the child. However, holding the newly purchased belt in my hand, I was greatly surprised to see him unbuckle his own belt.

I hadn’t known that gifts were meant to be fastened by the giver, and I had asked him to unbuckle his belt in front of me. How shy and surprised he must have been. I wanted to explain that it wasn’t my intention to be so mischievous, but my words were stuck in my throat, and I couldn’t say anything.

I simply placed my hands around his waist and fitted the belt to the closure of his clothes.

His waist was slender, not fitting his broad shoulders and thick chest.

Since we had moved from one indoor space to another, his shirt was thin, and it felt as though I could see through it. I didn’t know where to look. Anxiously, I bit my tongue and fastened the buckle of the belt to the line below his navel.

The child also looked down at me, his tension palpable. I forced myself to look up.

“⋯It’s, done.”

“Is that all?”

“What else is there?”

I was so flustered that I hadn’t left a card, and that bothered me. However, since we saw each other every day, and Ruben didn’t give me a card for my birthday either, I hadn’t thought much of it.

My foresight was lacking. It was natural that Ruben, who had been sleeping outdoors during battles, wouldn’t have prepared one, but I had already entered the castle, so writing a card would have been appropriate. Believing it would be fine and being lazy was my mistake. As Ruben grumbled, my neck felt hot.

Having nothing else prepared, I couldn’t say anything. Then, Ruben gently grasped the front of my shirt and slowly pulled it.

“⋯A kiss.”

The child’s dark eyes were close.

My hands, which had wandered aimlessly, gripped the back of the sofa tightly. Sweet breaths touched me with every whisper from Rubel.

“⋯Even if not. You can still kiss me, can’t you?”

What was the difference between that and this?

Confused, I pursed my lips unnecessarily and looked at the child. I felt as though I could smell the fragrance from the blush rising on his pale face. The child did not rush me. He simply blinked his eyes and looked at me intently, then gently closed them.

But he still…

Still… It was the child’s birthday today.

When Sierren comforted young children, she kissed their cheeks. I had received it many times from my parents and given it many times to my siblings. Ruben wouldn’t have meant that.

I knew how disappointed Ruben had been when I had pushed him away, saying “not yet.” That day, I saw Ruben cry for the first time. I didn’t want to see that look again.

But how could I, how could I… this child.

Without taking a breath, I stared blankly at Ruben. As I hesitated and didn’t move immediately, the fingertips holding my shirt trembled slightly. Though he acted bold, the child was tense and couldn’t even breathe properly. With every breath Ruben held back and inhaled, his lowered eyelashes trembled.

I examined him thoroughly. The blush on his red cheeks, his tightly bitten red lips.

Born a man, how could one not desire?

I worried that the sound of my tense swallowing would be too loud. Seeing Ruben, who was so obedient as if he would permit anything, I finally made up my mind. Very carefully, I raised my hand and brushed the area around his cheek.

I was infinitely afraid.

Touching him felt like he might break or shatter; this was no exaggeration.

How could such a precious being come to me and shake my heart so profoundly?

Even standing straight, the ground felt like it was shaking. Even sitting, I felt dizzy. My fingertips barely brushed the soft down on his cheek, and I hesitated for a long time.

After much thought, I gently cupped his cheek, and deep within my palm, Ruben leaned his cheek. His soft earlobe brushed between my fingers.

A surprised sound escaped me involuntarily. Ruben trembled again, like a petal touched by the wind. Our noses brushed. The breath he exhaled was sweet.

Ruben’s thin, warm lips met mine and were crushed.