It was now full-blown summer.
The hot sun scorched the capital's sky. As the roses withered, green leaves bloomed in abundance, and the servants sweated profusely as they loaded luggage onto the carriage.
Groaning at the heat I was experiencing for the first time in my life, I finished the letter to Lady Katarina. I wrote that I was leaving for Mort today, that I was truly grateful for everything, and that I would be waiting for her reply.
Her reply would probably come to Mort.
I sealed the envelope and stood up to look in the mirror. With a thin dress, hair tied up with a ribbon, and clunky boots, I looked exactly like a commoner woman setting off on a summer journey.
Actually wearing these clothes felt even more awkward than when I wore dresses. Not pants, not leather armor, and not the dresses I had worn for the past few months. I guess I should have worn a dress like the noble ladies wear, even if it meant sweating to death.
Then, with a small knock, the door opened.
"Marion, are you ready?"
Victor, who peeked his head in, was perfect as always today. A thin shirt draped loosely, revealing his chest, and black boots wrapped around his long legs.
He smiled softly when he saw me.
"Dressed like that, you look just like a tomboy miss."
I felt unnecessarily shy and crumpled the hem of my skirt.
"Does it not suit the Archduchess?"
"Nonsense, Marion. Whatever you do, it is becoming of the Archduchess."
He strode over and handed the letter I had written to the maids. He had looked in a good mood since breakfast, and now he was downright beaming.
Was leaving the capital that pleasing? Even though we were going because something bad had happened in the territory.
He leaned down toward me, who was seriously pondering this.
"Whatever you wear, you are lovely. You have no idea how happy I am to bring you to my territory."
He lightly kissed both my cheeks.
I stood there with my mouth open like an idiot before quickly taking a step back. I could see the maids standing behind me giggling.
With so many people around, he's completely made it a habit now!
When I glared at him with flushed cheeks, he smiled refreshingly.
"I like it when you're shy, too."
"Victor!"
"If you're ready, come out. We need to greet the servants."
I fanned my flushed cheeks with my hand and followed him.
Stepping out into the garden, the beautiful mansion came into view at a glance.
The Black Lion mansion of the Mort Archduchy. In just a couple of months, this ridiculously lavish mansion had become my home.
The mistress's room that felt awkward at first, the kitchen that always smelled good, the study I frequented every day. The awnings set up for me and the broad, lush shrubs all came to mind one by one. And all the servants who fed me, clothed me, and treated me kindly.
Seeing the servants holding my hand and expressing their regrets felt strange.
On the first day, I was an unidentified stranger to them, and they were just uncomfortable to me. Before I knew it, everyone in the mansion had become my friend.
Unlike the maids who shed tears of regret, Mrs. Seymour was calm.
"I will be waiting for the day you return."
"Yes, ma'am. Please stay healthy."
"Lady Amarion too... Please take care of yourself."
I gave the petite woman a tight hug and turned away.
This was the first world I had entered. Beautiful and radiant, but just as terrifying and difficult.
But anyway, I now had a new home too. That was enough.
Victor held out his hand to me in front of the carriage.
"Please board, Lady."
I took his hand and boarded the carriage stamped with the Archduchy's crest.
It was the beginning of a new journey.
❖ ❖ ❖
"Madam! Please wake up!"
I, who had been nodding off, snapped my eyes open.
Outside was pitch black. Only torches were swirling chaotically outside the carriage window.
I instinctively drew my sword and leapt from the carriage.
"Monsters again?"
"Yes! Damn it, this area is supposed to be safe..."
Sir Kaltz cursed as he struck away the bright red wolf charging at him with his sword.
I frowned as I looked at the pack of wolves that had gathered.
Firewolves weren't hard to deal with, but because they breathed fire, they were a nuisance to travelers in carriages or on horseback.
With a tired mind, I counted the days.
It had been... four days since we departed, right? We had come quite far north, but it wasn't the borderlands where monsters would run rampant. And yet, a pack of Firewolves, which were said to only live in the south?
Could there be a problem with the security system?
I pushed Sir Kaltz back and slashed three wolves in succession.
Turning my head, I saw the knights struggling as each took on a wolf. My forehead throbbed involuntarily.
I only now realized that Kaltz hadn't been lying when he said they were weak during our sparring. Struggling this much against wolves. They were truly no different from the knights of Amari.
Just as I thought about going to help and took a step, a deeply sunken voice came from the front.
"Get out of the way, all of you. You're in the way."
A fierce sword cleaved through the wolf pack like a gale. Victor's greatsword deflected the flying fireballs and ruthlessly severed a wolf's neck. The monsters slashed by the heavy sword screamed in pain as if struck by a club. Corpses with red fur piled up like fallen leaves.
In no time, the wolves, which had numbered around twenty, all fell silent.
I slashed the last charging wolf and headed toward him.
"Victor."
Victor, holding a sword dripping with blood, slowly raised his head. Dark amber eyes gleamed at me. A shiver ran down my spine at the faint lingering killing intent.
Actually, the biggest problem on this journey was neither the monsters nor the unexpectedly weak knights.
Victor Mort, the "Walking Death," was in a terribly foul mood.
❖ ❖ ❖
Standing before my husband, I let out a deep sigh.
"You're not in the carriage."
"It's fine. I was awake anyway."
With a gloomy face, he took out a cloth and wiped his sword. It was a dark demeanor I hadn't seen in the capital.
Well, he couldn't even get a wink of sleep at the inn, let alone the carriage. I barely swallowed a rising sigh.
Not long after leaving the capital, Victor's insomnia relapsed.
It was a situation none of us had anticipated. The reason Victor and I could decide to head to Mort without hesitation was because his condition had improved significantly. He had fallen asleep easily every night, and even when he woke up, he hadn't shown any highly dangerous behavior. We thought there would be no problem since he would mostly sleep in inns with ceilings.
On the first day, I thought it was because of the excitement of the trip.
At a clean inn near the capital, I leaned on Victor's shoulder and listened to various stories all night. What kind of place Mort was, how beautiful the castle of Mort was. Elated by the rare trip, I spent quite a happy night listening to his sweet voice.
However, as sleepless nights continued, the situation became serious. Originally, he should have been able to sleep as long as he had a sword and an enclosed space, but strangely, he couldn't even fall asleep indoors.
Diderik, who accompanied us on the journey, guessed it was because of the changed environment. He thought Victor had become too accustomed to the Archduke's bedroom, making it harder to fall asleep elsewhere.
The knights and I took turns guarding the bedroom door, but Victor never properly fell asleep. He would doze off for a moment but wake up immediately and stay up all night.
After spending three nights like that, Victor was completely exhausted.
"It's really strange. I'm this tired, yet sleep won't come."
"Victor..."
He looked haggard, just like when we first met at the royal palace.
A dry face that even felt like unknown anger. The pitch-black pressure that covered the floor.
But to my eyes, he just looked tired and weak. I carefully placed my hand on his cheek.
"This won't do. At the next lodging, please take some sleeping medicine."
"It will be useless."
"Even so."
It had already been confirmed by everyone in the Archduchy that no kind of sleeping herb worked on him. But I really wanted to do something. If only I were an excellent healer and could make a fast-acting sleeping potion...
With a crying face, I stroked his roughened cheek. Victor, who had sheathed his sword, buried his face in my shoulder.
"I want to ride in the same carriage as you."
"Victor, that's..."
"Can I not?"
It was a pitiful voice.
Hearing that voice, I suddenly felt that the etiquette of imperial nobles didn't matter at all. When I nodded, he rubbed his face against the nape of my neck like a large dog. A faint sound of laughter echoed in my ear.
"Let's get going slowly, Your Highness."
"Please moderate yourselves. How are people without lovers supposed to live?"
Victor, who slowly raised his head, glared at the knights ominously. The terrified knights scrambled onto their horses.
How tired must he be to snap at his own knights? Such a gentlemanly man.
My cheeks flushed with pity and embarrassment, and I quickly led Victor to my carriage.
❖ ❖ ❖
Most of the Empire's land was flat. With few mountains and well-maintained roads, it was easy for people and carriages to travel. Relay stations were set up along the way to change horses, and all the villages were of a decent size, making them good places to rest.
I watched Diderik hand over a pouch of gold coins to rent the entire inn. If it were before, I would have fainted just seeing that amount, but after spending two months in the Archduchy, it didn't faze me much.
Victor, who had been dozing off the whole time, was silent.
"Go on up first. I'll bring some food."
"Have someone else do that... Let's go up together."
Victor held my wrist tightly.
Maybe because he was sleepy, he was acting a bit spoiled. It felt strange to use such an expression for someone who was always elegant, but pain makes people weak.
I gently instructed him.
"I'll be up soon. Please get some rest, even for a little while."
He looked at me silently before finally nodding.
Listening to his heavy footsteps, I asked the innkeeper for bathwater and dinner.
Kaltz, leaning against the counter, sighed.
"This is a real problem. The monsters are a headache, but His Highness being in that state on top of it."
"Did you find out why there are so many monsters?"
"I asked around the whole way here, but no one knew. Even the guards here didn't know the reason."
A large knight with an axe on his shoulder interjected.
"Well, isn't it their mating season?"
"Sir Raoul."
The axe knight, Raoul, grinned. A cute little ponytail dangled behind his thick neck.
"Monsters are the biggest headache in summer. They mate, so they're noisy, their numbers increase, and when you kill them, they rot before you can even bury them. I absolutely hate it."
"There's a Lady present. Watch your mouth, Raoul."
He laughed heartily at Leonard, who spoke stiffly.
"So stiff! The one who's probably skinned the most monsters among us is the Madam, what are you talking about?"
"Raoul!"
"If the Madam had run a mercenary group, I would have joined it in a heartbeat."
I smiled ambiguously.
Sir Raoul was originally a mercenary. He was the illegitimate son of a baron who left home to become a mercenary. The pay wasn't bad, but he said he became a knight of Mort because he wanted to fight under someone as strong as the Grand Duke of Death.
Kaltz had mentioned this about him:
'Why would he switch when the pay was good? He switched because he's a lousy guy.'
That same Kaltz said in a comforting tone.
"Anyway, don't worry too much. Honestly, compared to everything else, His Highness is the biggest problem, isn't he?"
"Right. If His Highness accidentally falls asleep, we're all dead meat."
I lowered my head gloomily.
He was right. Even if it wasn't me, the unexpectedly fragile knights of Mort would have a hard time handling Victor if he suddenly woke up from sleep.
Still, seeing Victor as some terrifying monster...
As if reading my expression, Kaltz clicked his tongue.
"Madam, we don't want to speak of our lord like this either. But for us, it's a matter of survival."
"Even on the battlefield, a dozen men stood guard in front of the tent. It was a painful time for both His Highness and the knights. Still, we thought he had almost gotten better..."
Leonard trailed off. The knights exchanged bitter glances. It was an expression of pity for their suffering lord and comrade.
Just then, the innkeeper brought out a tray with bread, soup, and roasted pork. With a heavy heart, I took the tray and went up to the second floor.
❖ ❖ ❖
Carefully opening the door, I saw Victor drying his hair with a towel. Through the gaps in his thin clothes, his wet skin was visible.
I quickly lowered my head and set down the tray.
"Please eat something, Victor."
"I have no appetite."
"You still have to eat."
His sunken gaze turned to me. Seeing how haggard I must have looked after a few days, his expression clouded.
"You're having a hard time too."
"I'm fine. I sleep on and off in the carriage."
"I didn't mean to put you through this."
Victor's eyes suddenly darkened. I hastily shook my head.
"It's not your fault, Victor. Don't apologize for something you couldn't choose."
"..."
"I just want you to be able to get some deep rest. I'm right here beside you."
As I forced the words out through my embarrassment, his stiff face finally relaxed. Victor smiled as if melting and pulled me into a hug.
"My Marion."
A clean soap scent came from the nape of his neck.
To think he was worrying about something like this at a time like this. Trying to calm my rapidly flushing face, I attempted to focus over Victor's shoulder.
Shoulder and neck. Neck...
Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind.
Honestly, I really didn't want to do it, but if it was for Victor and everyone else...
I gently opened my mouth.
"Um, Victor. Then, are you not going to eat?"
"Huh...? Yeah... I just want to lie down holding you."
He rubbed his cheek against my shoulder and mumbled languidly. I tried my best to speak cheerfully.
"I have something to give you, could you turn around for a moment?"
"Huh? Sure."
He raised his head and obediently turned his body. And before his movements could even stop, my sword struck the back of his neck.
❖ ❖ ❖
"How could you do that?"
Victor was still bewildered even as he ate breakfast the next morning. I swallowed the hot meat stew in silence, pretending not to notice. The knights were laughing so hard they were almost crying.
"Why? Thanks to that, you slept soundly."
"If you can call that sleeping."
"You lost consciousness, that's what."
Victor shot a fierce glare at the snickering Kaltz. I rubbed my nose, which was red from embarrassment.
Victor, who fell asleep thanks to my... sleep induction, reportedly opened his eyes about five hours later. Fortunately, he slept deeply without waking up in the middle.
Having left the night watch to the knights and gotten some sleep, I had to face their dying-of-laughter gazes as soon as I woke up.
"I never dreamed such a method existed."
"Stop it, she only does it because she's the Madam. If anyone else tried, their neck would be snapped."
"Is your body feeling a bit better?"
When I asked, trying hard to ignore them, Victor nodded.
"It's better. It's just my heart that stings."
He tilted his beautiful almond-shaped eyes pitifully.
"To say you're giving me a gift and then swing a sword. Can a wife be any more cruel?"
"Sleep is the most precious gift I can give."
"Isn't it fainting rather than sleeping?"
This time, I also glared at Sir Kaltz. Kaltz promptly shut his teasing mouth.
Previously, Sir Kaltz had also said this:
'I will die because of my own mouth someday.'
Anyway, seeing Victor improve even a little put my mind at ease. Until yesterday, he was so exhausted he couldn't even smile, let alone joke, so seeing that he had the energy to tease me meant he was definitely getting better.
Of course, it still wasn't a proper solution...
I silently dipped my bread in the soup.
Whether I liked it or not, the important thing was Victor. If his illness threatened his own safety and the safety of others, it was right for someone who could do something to act. That was my chivalry.
I watched Victor, who was still exchanging jokes with the knights, with a smile.
❖ ❖ ❖
Our journey continued with Victor feeling a little better.
He still couldn't fall into a deep sleep, but he replenished his stamina by dozing off in the carriage with me or using my hand to fall asleep. When he fell into even a light sleep, I would chew on jerky and watch to see if he woke up.
There were no other incidents. No monsters appeared after the Firewolves, and the hot weather grew cooler as we headed north. The knights wore cloaks over their leather armor, facing the wind as they rode their horses.
The discomforts of the journey were also less than expected. Compared to the grueling and cold travels in my hometown, it felt almost comfortable.
Diderik, the only non-combatant and supply manager of our group, was even good at cooking. When we camped, he would mix jerky, spices, and vegetables to create a beef stew with perfect savory flavor, and I would marvel at it and eat three bowls by myself, only to face the resentment of the knights.
The knights of Mort were good people. They had been with Victor for at least ten years, and every single one of them was loyal. Even reverence could be felt in the way they spoke about Victor.
"I've traveled the entire continent and never seen anyone stronger than His Highness."
"Did you know he single-handedly slew a hundred knights during the conquest of the Eastern Kingdom?"
"Toward the end of the war, just hearing His Highness's name made the enemies turn tail."
"The lords of the allied nations were also too scared to even come near our garrison."
I nodded with satisfaction. Hearing praise for Victor made me feel as if I were being praised myself. Honestly, it seemed a bit exaggerated, but these knights are weaker than expected...
Then suddenly, Victor, who had been discussing our next destination, strode over. Then, with an incredibly nonchalant face, he laid his head on my lap.
"Victor?"
I looked down at him in almost horror.
Victor, having made himself comfortable on my thigh, closed his eyes shamelessly, as if this were a natural duty of a married couple.
Raising my head, I immediately saw the knights looking at us in disbelief. My face burned like charcoal. I had finally become comfortable enough to talk with the knights; if I showed such an embarrassing sight, I wouldn't be able to look them in the eye.
"Victor."
I shook his arm. Unlike me, who was flustered, he was calm.
"I think I can fall asleep if I stay like this."
"..."
"You said you'd let me sleep. Right? Marion."
He slowly closed and opened his eyes. His gaze, flickering in the campfire, smiled at me with a mesmerizing charm that made no sense.
Why on earth does my judgment always blur when I look at Victor's face? I almost answered 'Of course,' but barely swallowed my words at Sir Kaltz's languid voice.
"You truly use any means necessary. You are indeed my lord."
"Shut up, Kaltz."
His growling voice made my mouth drop open.
My husband was the Empire's greatest gentleman, always refined, perfect, and charismatic. No matter how tired he was, to swear like that?
He briefly glanced at my shocked expression and then elegantly furrowed his brow.
"Kaltz is truly a problem. He's always teaching me vulgar words."
"No...!"
I frowned and looked at Sir Kaltz.
I couldn't exactly criticize the knight's way of speaking, but it would be nice if he restrained himself a bit when talking to his lord.
Kaltz, who was about to say something, chugged his water like alcohol with an expression of bursting frustration.
"I wonder if this is how the Empress feels watching the Emperor being swayed by his concubine."
"Why are you the Empress? His Highness is the Empress."
"Is that what's important right now?!"
Leonard patted Kaltz's back as if to comfort him while he threw a fit.
I watched them, not understanding, and then quietly placed my hand near Victor's eyes. Diderik silently brought a blanket and covered Victor, whose eyes were closed. I signaled my thanks and stared at the blazing fire, which made crackling sounds.
Beyond the distant horizon, the stars were shining as if pouring down.
❖ ❖ ❖
And it seemed I dozed off for a bit.
"—Be careful, this way...!"
I snapped my eyes open at the sound of clashing swords.
The campfire had almost died out, leaving only embers, but my trained instincts clearly informed me of the situation even in the dark.
A truly enormous monster was right in front of the campsite.
Nightmare Urgr. Monsters that lived deep in the mountains and were active at night, famous for quietly approaching people and taking their lives despite their massive size.
Why an Urgr on a plain like this?
I panicked and looked around. Several knights had thrown chains to barely stop its movement, but the giant figure, easily twice the height of a person, was silently swinging its arms, trying to break the chains.
Biting my lip, I tried to stand up, but felt a weight on my left thigh. Victor was asleep.
"Madam."
Leonard, noticing I had woken up, hurriedly approached.
"Please stay still. We didn't wake him on purpose."
"Will you be alright?"
"We can handle one Urgr. His Highness is also getting some rare sleep, so please rest."
I nodded anxiously and put down my sword.
Actually, they weren't people who were so weak it was pitiful just to look at them... They were on par with Amari's upper-tier knights, so they could handle monster hunting. But even those upper-tier knights struggled to handle an Urgr.
While I was feeling anxious, two knights quickly approached the monster from behind. They were probably aiming to sever the vital points behind its knees.
But if they make that much noise, it'll be dangerous...!
Then suddenly, Victor opened his eyes. I looked at him in surprise.
"Victor? You're awake..."
Without even listening to me, he stood up and drew his sword from his waist. Then he strode toward the monster.
Seeing their lord entering the Urgr's range, the knights screamed.
"Your Highness! It's dangerous!"
"..."
And the next moment, my mouth dropped open in shock and awe.
"No way..."
The Urgr was falling from a single sword strike. The sword, swung with all his weight, instantly tore open the Urgr's belly hide.
Even I used my sword twice when catching an Urgr. Urgrs were strange monsters with skin as tough as a leather membrane, so my sword couldn't pierce it in one strike. But Victor's power made it possible.
Exclamations of admiration from the knights could be heard here and there. I jumped up and ran toward him.
"That's amazing, Victor! You're the only one who can do some... thing..."
Ah.
My steps gradually slowed.
Every instinct in my body was sending a danger signal. My spine tingled, and goosebumps rose behind my ears.
Slowly, Victor's gaze, still holding his sword, shifted toward the knights. I screamed at the same time.
"Dodge!"
Boom!
At the same time, the tent collapsed with a sound unbelievable for a sword strike.
I gritted my teeth and blocked the flying sword. Victor, withdrawing his sword, clearly looked unconscious.
I see, so Victor right now was in a "woken up from sleep" state. But his sword was fiercer than on any night before.
Why is he like this? Because it's been a long time since he fell asleep? Or because we're outside?
I struggled to lure him toward the field and glanced back. The knights were quickly fleeing while guarding Diderik. Unlike with the Urgr, the sight of them running away without looking back was understandable but also a bit disheartening.
I should have just caught the Urgr myself... The Urgr is much easier...
With no time to lament, Victor's sword thrust in heavily. I dodged his eerie killing intent as if dancing and turned my blade. Clang, the swords met with a sharp sound.
"Still, you'll sleep deeply tonight."
"..."
"Victor."
You can't hear me, can you.
I smiled bitterly and deflected his blade.
Perhaps because I hadn't seen it in a while, it felt even more heartbreaking. Clouded eyes and hands gripping the sword tightly as he wandered through a nightmare. How much would he suffer again when he woke up tomorrow?
I avoided his sword and slipped behind his back. Right now, I just wanted to quickly put him at ease.
"Please sleep."
With a short gesture, the solid body collapsed.
❖ ❖ ❖
Victor didn't open his eyes until late morning the next day.
"You're awake?"
I, who had been rummaging through the Urgr's corpse for a while, greeted Victor happily as he approached.
He made a strange expression when he saw me.
"What are you doing?"
"Extracting the venom sac."
Nightmare Urgrs had a venom sac in their throats that they used to knock out their prey. Used as is, it was poison, but diluted, it was a precious ingredient for various medicines. So in Amari, whenever we caught a Nightmare Urgr, we would throw a feast, considering it a windfall. Though a feast just meant an extra plate of salted meat, but anyway.
The knights on watch looked down at me in horror as I skillfully slit the throat and peeled out the sac. Victor waved them away and approached me.
"Is there nothing I can help with?"
"It's fine. Stay back, blood might splatter."
"You're already covered in it."
I looked up at Victor. He was wearing a bitter smile.
"Because I woke up and hurt you."
"Ah."
At the very beginning, I had awkwardly blocked the sword strike aimed at the knights and injured my arm. It wasn't a major wound, but Diderik had nagged me to get it treated, so I had it bandaged. I needlessly hid my arm behind my back.
Victor's expression contorted.
"I'm sorry..."
"I told you not to apologize for something that isn't your fault."
I said firmly as I put the venom sac into a leather pouch.
"That is a condition. A condition we are trying to cure together, but it's not easy. I don't resent sick people."
"..."
Victor's eyes darkened deeply.
I couldn't read his thoughts. What was certain was that he couldn't put on his usual smooth smile. I said whatever came to mind to comfort him.
"Victor, you may not know this, but... you at night are too weak to hurt me."
Victor's golden eyes widened slightly.
"Yesterday too, if it weren't for protecting the knights, it would have ended without a scratch. Indoors, it doesn't even take a few minutes."
"..."
"Does Victor get angry when the puppy he raises scratches him?"
Victor asked back a beat late.
"...Are you saying I'm a puppy?"
"Is that strange?"
"No... It's just the first time I've heard such a comparison."
He looked a bit bewildered. I finally burst into laughter.
"Victor, you also said I was like a wildcat."
"You did. You still look that way to me."
"Victor at night is like that to me too."
A great gentleman by day, but weak like a child at night. To me, Victor was exactly that kind of person.
At first, I was definitely scared, but now that I knew everything, he was too weak to be a real threat.
That was what was heartbreaking. Seeing that side of someone so strong. That I was witnessing the moment his body and mind were at their weakest every night.
I wiped my hands with a cloth and approached him.
"So just smile and say thank you. That's better."
A smile gradually spread across Victor's mouth, who looked a bit surprised. It was a bitter smile, but as pleasant to see as always.
He pulled me into a hug.
"How can someone like you exist?"
I couldn't continue speaking for a moment, so I just carefully hugged his back in return. As our body heat exchanged, an indescribable comfort washed over me. I hoped he was feeling it too.
Then, someone shouted from afar.
"Get a room! How can you be doing lovey-dovey stuff in a place like that?"
I was startled and pushed Victor away. Come to think of it, the giant Urgr corpse was sprawled right behind us.
Victor fiercely glared at the booing knights and took my hand. With a bright red face, I let him lead me back to the campsite.
❖ ❖ ❖
Once the tents were roughly cleaned up, I got on a horse. Since some people had sustained minor injuries while catching the Urgr yesterday, I decided to give up my carriage. The knights refused, asking how they could ride a noble lady's carriage, but after I showed them the spacious floor and the soft silk chairs, they obediently accepted the luxury.
So now I was riding alongside Sir Kaltz.
"So in the Madam's eyes, His Highness is like a dog... pup..."
"Please say puppy."
"That's the same thing."
Kaltz frowned as much as he could. He looked like someone who had heard something he shouldn't have.
I blushed and pretended to look at the grass on the road. I had honestly told them what we talked about this morning when they asked, but saying it out loud made me feel a bit embarrassed after all.
Kaltz asked Raoul languidly.
"What are the nicknames of our great His Highness?"
"Nightmare of the Continent, Scourge of the Eastern Kingdom, Black-Scaled Dragon, Walking Death..."
"So yeah. But in our Madam's eyes, he's a dog... pup."
"I said puppy."
I protested softly, but the two were no longer listening.
Raoul stroked his rough chin with an exaggerated attitude like a court poet.
"But truly a magnificent expression. Dog pup... It condenses all those nicknames into a single phrase."
Leonard coughed forcefully to hold back his laughter.
Raoul added cheekily.
"Moreover, the fact that his wife gave it to him is also meaningful. Aren't most husbands usually dog pups?"
Pfft, Kaltz finally couldn't hold it in and burst into laughter. At the same time, the knights around them trembled slightly and giggled. It was absurd that they were covering their mouths so Victor wouldn't catch them.
I glared at them, the bridge of my nose flushed.
Really, I can't even hit these people.
❖ ❖ ❖
Chatting about this and that, we arrived at the next village.
As he got off the horse, Kaltz, who came within range of my sword, obediently apologized.
"I'm sorry for teasing you, Madam. It's just that your words were so shocking."
I narrowed my eyes and glared at the red-haired knight. He complained that I was making the exact same expression as His Highness, then grabbed the horses' reins and headed into the stable.
They're that scared of him, so how do they still tease Victor? I let out a hollow laugh and looked around the village.
The streets were lively. The market was large, and there were several inns; it seemed like a well-equipped village.
We planned to unpack and rest here early today. We were tired from yesterday's events, and having already camped for two days, we desperately missed a soft bed.
Diderik rented the cleanest inn and herded the knights in like a flock of sheep. While they made a fuss about taking baths, I secretly took my sword and slipped out of the inn.
I would be caught soon, but I was so concerned that I couldn't stand it.
❖ ❖ ❖
And a moment later, I was standing in front of a certain tavern.
The cheapest tavern in the village, which I found by asking the innkeeper, had a rough atmosphere as expected. The dark, musty hall was full of rough-looking people. As I entered, they all glanced at me.
'Maybe I should have worn a robe.'
I looked around with the coldest expression I could muster.
In the corner, a few old men were drinking spirits, and on one side, foreign travelers were puffing water pipes. The guards occupying the large table were already quite drunk and making a racket.
My gaze soon fixed on two people sitting near the door. A stocky man carrying an axe and a tall woman wearing leather armor.
I went straight up to them.
"I'll buy you a drink."
Two pairs of eyes scanned me suspiciously. I placed two gold coins on the table and ordered ale. The woman smirked and tapped the gold coins.
"You know how to approach mercenaries. I thought you were some noble lady. A fellow colleague?"
"I quit after getting married."
I made a vague excuse and sat in an empty chair.
The man guffawed.
"If you quit, you shouldn't associate with us, why did you come to a place like this?"
Instead of answering, I took out a leather pouch. They looked at the slightly discolored pouch with interest. I explained briefly.
"It's a Nightmare Urgr's venom sac."
As soon as the words left my mouth, their smiling faces instantly disappeared. They looked at each other in dismay and asked me.
"Did you catch it?"
I nodded. Actually, I didn't catch it, but since I caught Victor who caught the Urgr, it wasn't a lie.
The man carefully checked the contents and made a horrified face.
"It's real. And very fresh. How did you keep it so fresh?"
"Because we caught it on the plain ahead."
"Don't lie."
The woman furrowed her brow.
"I've caught Urgrs too. They only live in high mountains. So why would they come down here?"
"That's what I want to ask. Why was the Urgr in such a place?"
A brief silence fell. I looked at them with an anxious feeling.
Mercenaries were the group that knew the most about monsters. Large mercenary groups roamed the entire continent to prevent monster waves or wars, and thus grasped monster trends faster than anyone else. The saying "Ask merchants about good neighborhoods to live in, and ask mercenaries about tough neighborhoods" wasn't for nothing.
The two, who had been whispering for a moment, opened their mouths.
"...Actually, there have been rumors going around for a while that the monsters have gotten weird. Their numbers have increased too."
"We ran into them several times on our way here too."
"It seems like the defenses near the border have weakened... But we don't know the details either."
The woman added briefly.
"The mercenary group is investigating internally."
I nodded. If the mercenary group was investigating it, they couldn't speak carelessly either.
I pushed the venom sac toward them.
"Thank you. You can have that."
"This is too much."
"I'm not short on money."
"What?"
The woman laughed heartily and offered me a toast. I clinked glasses with the two and downed my ale. The woman giggled.
"Goodness! With the skills to hunt an Urgr, you could have made an incredible amount of money. What kind of loser did you marry that made you quit?"
"Well, it just... happened..."
I hurriedly hid my face behind my glass.
I couldn't exactly say my husband was the most famous knight in the Empire and a great lord with a massive territory.
Seeing me blushing for no reason, the man shook his head.
"Love has taken another valuable mercenary. The Mercenary King will be appalled."
"No, is there a rule that you have to retire forever? If that guy's pay gets bad, just slice him up and come back out. Right?"
The two cracked thoroughly mercenary-like jokes and laughed loudly. I nodded ambiguously and sipped my ale. It was refreshing to hear the frivolous tone of mercenaries after so long. I closed my eyes tightly and swallowed the bitter ale.
I'll empty this glass and go back to eat dinner. Wash up with cold water, then order a giant roast chicken and pie...
Then suddenly, a familiar voice rang out from behind me.
"Marion!"
I reflexively turned my head. Victor was standing there, catching his breath. My eyes widened.
"What are you doing here?"
"I should be the one asking. What on earth are you doing in a place like this?"
He sighed and approached me. Perhaps he had rushed here right after washing, his wet hair drooped over his forehead, making him look much younger than usual. He frowned and surveyed the surroundings.
"You were gone, so I went looking for you, and the innkeeper said you'd come here. What is going on?"
"Well, there was something I needed to find out..."
As I spoke, I suddenly came to my senses and looked at the mercenaries sitting in front of me. Their gazes were peculiar.
"Is that your husband?"
When I inadvertently nodded, the two stroked their chins as if appraising him.
"Indeed... With a face like that..."
"It's worth giving up a few pouches of gold."
"Where did you pick up such a handsome man? You can't find one even if you search the whole continent."
With a red face, I hurriedly stood up from my seat.
Victor scowled.
"What on earth..."
"Careful, mister. If your wealth runs out, you're done for."
"Same goes if your looks fade!"
"Let's go back right now, Victor!"
I hastily grabbed his hand and dragged him away. The heavily intoxicated mercenaries burst into loud laughter.
Victor furrowed his brow as if he had something to say, but I forcefully pushed him out and barely managed to get him out the door.
The woman shouted from behind.
"Hey! We work as much as we're paid. Since we received an excessive amount, we'll let you know when the investigation is over."
I turned back with wide eyes. The woman gestured with her chin.
"This guy is Shorty, and I'm Lanky. Where should we find you?"
After some thought, I answered.
"Come to the main castle of Mort. I'm Skinny."
❖ ❖ ❖
Outside the tavern, it was already dark. The bustling market was very noisy. Smoke rose from cooking here and there, and merchants lit small lanterns, clapping their hands as they pushed for last-minute sales.
Wrapping his arm around my shoulder and separating me from the crowd, Victor let out a sigh.
"So, who are those people exactly?"
"They are the 'Troll's Right Calf' mercenary group."
"Troll's... what?"
He looked confused. I showed him my sword hilt.
"They draw a small troll leg on their armor and weapons. It's one of the direct units of the Mercenary King Yazi. They are skilled mercenaries who travel all over the continent."
Victor fell silent for a moment before asking again.
"I see. What did you talk about?"
"I asked about the monsters' movements. It was strange that there were so many monsters on our way here."
"Indeed, for an Urgr to appear, it's no ordinary matter."
His expression turned serious. I let out a short sigh.
"They didn't know the exact reason either. But it seems they're investigating it internally. They agreed to let me know when the investigation results are out."
"Understood. I should look into it as well when I return to the territory."
Victor nodded with the face of a lord. Then, as if suddenly realizing something, he whirled around to look at me.
"No, but why did you have to come and find that out yourself? You could have just ordered the knights."
"But isn't it most reliable if I do it myself?"
I stared blankly.
Most of the knights probably didn't know how to strike up a conversation with mercenaries or how to trade. And even if they knew someone, I honestly felt uneasy about putting them in a place like this; from what I had observed over the past few days, the knights in our group were almost as weak as Jeffrey Sutherland.
Victor let out a deep sigh.
"Marion, my knights may be frivolous, but they're not unreliable. They can handle information gathering."
"But what if they get picked on in a place like that?"
Victor's expression became very strange. I continued speaking with concern.
"It's a village for travelers where all sorts of people gather. Even if they meet a swordsman of my level, they're bound to get seriously hurt."
"Marion, that..."
Victor was speechless and hesitated. It was a very rare sight.
"...There aren't many swordsmen at your level."
"What do you mean? There's you, Victor. Of course, you are stronger than me."
Thinking of his swordsmanship, a smile naturally leaked out. Having a strong knight nearby to watch and learn from was a joy for a swordsman.
But strangely, Victor looked a bit thin. He opened his mouth as if to say something, then just wiped his face dry with his hands.
"...Anyway, next time, please at least tell me before you go out. Do you know how surprised I was?"
"I wasn't even gone that long."
"I thought you had suddenly disappeared."
I quietly looked up at him. A faint anxiety lingered on his beautiful face. I smiled and held his hand tightly.
"Where would I even go?"
"...Right."
Victor kissed the back of my hand. I pulled my hand away as if I had touched fire.
Having reverted to his shameless Archduke self, he pulled me in and kissed my cheek several times.
"I told you not to do this where there are a lot of people!"
My feeble resistance was buried by his laughter.
❖ ❖ ❖
The journey continued after that. When I came to my senses, the surroundings were unmistakably the north. The tree leaves narrowed, and the wilderness was littered with large rocks and thorn bushes instead of dense vegetation. I was glad to escape the heat, but Kaltz, who was from the south, was completely out of it.
"This is why I kept staying in the capital. I absolutely hate the cold."
"Then why did you become a knight of Mort?"
"It was an unfortunate twist of fate."
He sighed deeply.
"Who knew that the place I went to without knowing any better to do knight training at a young age would be the winter land where fierce dragons live... This is why you should always look into things before making a decision."
"I think it would have been quieter and better without you too."
Victor smoothly retorted from across me. As the journey continued, Victor's insomnia gradually improved, and now he had completely regained his former composure. He sheathed his polished sword and spoke softly.
"It would be nice to split you and Leonard and mix you together. You're too loose, and Leonard is too stiff."
Leonard flinched, having unnecessarily heard a chilling remark along with it.
Kaltz quickly changed the subject.
"Anyway, while it's not as cold as the Kingdom, Mort is still quite a cold place. I suffered a lot during knight training too. Swinging a sword all day in the snow in the dead of winter, and if we went out to subjugate monsters, we would shiver without even being able to light a fire..."
I smiled quietly.
Becoming a high-ranking knight was actually a very difficult task. From a young age, one had to undergo harsh swordsmanship and physical training, and as a squire, prove sufficient skill to barely receive an official knighthood.
Due to special circumstances, I was knighted at 14, but normally, one had to be at least 20 to become an official knight. So naturally, the knights of Mort must have gone through very rigorous training.
Kaltz was now completely lost in memories.
"Once, Sir Leonard, His Highness, and I went griffin hunting. I think it was because griffin feathers were said to be good for something?"
"At that time, decorating scabbards with monster feathers was all the rage."
Leonard chimed in. Kaltz nodded enthusiastically.
"Right. We were at that immature age where we liked such things. Especially His Highness, who was a total troublemaker and led the way to raid the nest."
"When will my chief of staff ever shut up?"
Victor's voice became dangerously soft.
But I wanted to hear the rest of the story.
"And then?"
"We crossed the mountain and climbed the cliff to find the nest. His Highness was an invincible swordsman even then, so he took down two griffins in an instant. He even plucked a handful of large, fine feathers. But you see..."
Kaltz's tone turned serious.
"After causing all that commotion, we got hungry. It was freezing cold, the way back was far, and there were no mountain beasts. We were grumbling, and His Highness seriously said, 'Should we eat this?'"
"Huh? No way."
"Yes, griffins look similar to birds on the outside, right? We eat chickens and pigeons, so a griffin... that was our thinking."
I burst into laughter. I felt like I knew the tragic ending of this story.
"Griffin meat is poisonous."
"Yes, and we didn't know that. Understandably so, who would have told us? Where else would you find crazy bastards who roast and eat griffins?"
Kaltz shrugged.
"The ending is as you'd expect. All three of us got severe food poisoning and rolled around, groaning until sunset until the search party found us and we barely survived."
"To find the griffin nest after sunset, the search party captain must have been quite skilled."
Suddenly, Kaltz's mouth snapped shut.
Huh? When I looked at Leonard with wide eyes, he was also staring ahead with a stiff expression.
Victor, who had been quietly stroking his sword, called my name.
"Marion."
I turned around and saw him smiling very sweetly.
"What do you want to eat when we get to the next village?"
I stared at him. Even to my unobservant eyes, it was obvious he was changing the subject.
Why was he acting like that all of a sudden? It was a natural question, but since Victor wanted it, I didn't want to ask further. So I just smiled and answered.
"Roast pigeon."
❖ ❖ ❖
However, the day to eat roast pigeon did not come easily. This was because villages became sparse as we got closer to Mort. It was because it was safer in terms of security to live inside the Archduchy and pay more taxes rather than living near Mort. So the road was endless wilderness.
As a result, we had to camp almost every day. While the knights skillfully pitched the tents, Diderik poured dried vegetables and water into a heated pot and boiled them. Add a little spice, jerky, and goat milk, and a hot cream soup was complete.
"Looks delicious..."
It didn't look like a difficult dish to make, but I had no idea why it always tasted so good when he made it. Chased away from the tent-pitching site because I was the Madam, I hovered with my bowl like a dog waiting for a meal. Diderik, stirring the soup, apologized to me.
"I am sorry to serve you such modest food every day, Madam."
"Not at all!"
I jumped in genuine surprise. To apologize while making such delicious food was an insult to the cooking.
The steward laughed heartily and continued.
"When we get to Mort, you will be able to eat a lot of delicious food. As soon as we arrive, I will have them prepare the turkey dish you like."
I flushed my cheeks with excitement and embarrassment.
Just before leaving the capital, I had eaten so well that I had lost interest in food, and it was funny even to me that I had returned to my original self in just two weeks.
But it couldn't be helped. I had literally lived my whole life to eat my fill.
Diderik said warmly.
"Still, I'm so glad you eat so well, Madam. His Highness has always had a small appetite."
"Did you see Victor's childhood too, Diderik?"
At my question, he smiled quietly.
"Yes. At that time, I was not the steward but the attendant of the previous Archduke. His Highness was incredibly strong even from a young age."
I nodded silently.
The old steward's eyes were filled with nostalgia.
"His Highness was bright and full of energy. He excelled not only in swordsmanship but in all other areas, always standing out. The knights all admired His Highness, who was a boy younger than themselves. ...But he also had many soft spots that no one knew about."
I looked at him quietly. He somehow looked much older than his actual age. The nostalgia that rushed in with the wind of his hometown seemed to swallow him up like a rising tide.
He ladled the steaming soup into my bowl.
"Please enjoy your meal, Madam."
I nodded, then moved out of the way for the knights rushing toward the food, crouched in front of the campfire, and picked up my bowl.
17 knights, Diderik, and Victor.
They were returning home. 2 years in the Southern Kingdom, another 2 years in the Eastern Kingdom. What the knight order of Mort had endured was a terribly long war. It was to the extent that it was understandable not only for Victor but for all the knights to be unable to sleep.
Then, would Victor improve a bit more if he went to his hometown? His illness, and his heart that seemed anxious for unknown reasons.
I stared blankly at my bowl of soup, from which steam was billowing.
"Madam! Have this too!"
Then, a lump of bread flew in from afar. I caught the bread reflexively.
Looking at it, it seemed Diderik had opened the food cart ahead of the last village. The knights were swarming in front of the cart.
"If you don't come quickly, we'll eat it all!"
I grabbed my bowl and ran with the speed of a harpy. Unfortunately, I was too hungry to stay lost in sentiment for long.
❖ ❖ ❖
"Wow..."
I couldn't hide my admiration. On the other hand, the knights all had nonchalant attitudes.
"Madam, do you like this kind of thing? It's common Draka leather."
"In other regions, it's not that common."
I protested softly and rolled my eyes. All sorts of trinkets displayed on the stalls fascinated me.
The last village we arrived at the end of the journey bordered Mort. Whether to sell to travelers or not, it was full of all sorts of specialties from Mort.
Thinly spread and dried Draka leather, small drums decorated with feathers of all sorts of migratory birds, blankets sewn together from thick wolf fur...
I looked at them with wide eyes, but most of the knights who had spent their squire days in Mort showed no interest.
"Madam. They sell these much cheaper in front of the main castle. And what are you going to do with a drum?"
"I can play it."
"You can. It's a drum."
Kaltz gave me a hard time. I just pouted.
Even I, who had hardly been anywhere other than the northern part of the Kingdom, knew that things sold in places like this were mostly overpriced. Still, I could at least look around.
Victor, who was next to me, wrapped his arm around my shoulder.
"Should I walk with you?"
"Victor, honestly, you have no interest in this either."
I pointed out Victor's tired face and uninterested expression.
Honestly, he really looked like he didn't have a speck of interest in places like this. Born and raised in Mort, it was obvious, but his face, having run on a hard sandy road all day, clearly wrote that he wanted to go wash and put something in his mouth right now.
I pushed Victor's hand away and smiled.
"I'll look around by myself and come in. Please rest."
"But."
"Then I will escort you."
The large knight with an axe on his shoulder, Sir Raoul, interjected. He wrinkled his fierce-looking face and smiled with smooth talk.
"It's my first time coming to Mort too, so there are many things I want to see. I will accompany the Madam."
Victor hesitated for a long time before finally nodding. It seemed he truly desperately needed rest.
He briefly held my hand and let go, then whispered.
"You must come back quickly."
"Don't worry."
When Victor gestured, Raoul pushed his fearsome axe onto the other knights and quickly ran over. He showed me a smile that revealed all his teeth.
"Today, Raoul of Radan will escort the Madam."
❖ ❖ ❖
Sir Raoul and I acted like country bumpkins visiting a city for the first time. The merchants looked at us as easy marks, but perhaps because Raoul's appearance was too intimidating, they didn't actively hawk their wares to us.
Sir Raoul looked around even more joyfully than I did, but didn't buy a single thing.
"Aren't you going to buy anything?"
To my question, he answered coldly.
"I don't buy from places that are even a penny more expensive."
He's a mercenary through and through.
I smirked. He said he joined the Mort knight order during the Eastern Kingdom war that ended last year, so it was understandable that he still acted like a mercenary.
I diligently looked around the rest of the stalls. The market had not only items from monsters but also unique foods and accessories.
We bought skewers, chewed on them, and headed toward the end of the market. At the end of the stalls, there was a street vendor that strangely didn't even put up a sign. But both Sir Raoul and I stopped in our tracks in front of it.
It looked like common Draka leather was piled up, but the reality was completely different.
"Isn't this Chimera leather?"
Sir Raoul asked, unable to hide his surprise.
Gleaming red color, scales visible here and there, and four huge fangs piled up on one side. This was definitely the leather of a Chimera, a monster mixed with a lion and a snake.
The man sitting in front of the stall nodded silently.
"That's right. I almost died catching this guy."
"Impressive. Where on earth did you encounter such a thing?"
"Around the border of the Archduchy."
Raoul frowned.
"If it's the border, aren't the soldiers guarding it?"
The man raised his head and looked at Raoul. His gaze lingered on the Black Lion crest imprinted on Raoul's shoulder.
"Seems you're a knight of Mort. Are you serving the Archduke?"
"That's right."
"Pick what you need. I'll give it to you cheap."
Chimera fangs are as hard as steel, and their leather deflects fire and arrows. I picked up two fangs, and Raoul picked up a pile of leather.
True to his word, the man handed over the goods at a pretty good price. After we packed the items in our bags, the man stared at us.
"You should hurry. When the master is away, swarms of rats will infest the place."
"..."
"The Archduke has been away for too long. His fame has skyrocketed tremendously, but rats don't care about fame. Please return carefully."
The man crossed his arms and closed his eyes as if he had said all he needed to say.
I frowned and looked back at Raoul. Raoul was also looking at me with a scowl.
And the next day, we finally reached Mort.