“No, I danced with Elmiran the next day too.”
Melric smiled.
“I bought some cheap meat, filled my socks with it, and then squeezed my feet in between. It helped endure the pain a bit. I wore the meat-filled socks and danced with Elmiran the next day, and the day after that too.”
Niall let out a light exclamation of amazement.
“I heard the story of Duke’s engagement falling through while we were practicing so fervently. When Elmiran didn’t have to practice dancing anymore, she told me she’d reward me if I wanted something. I said, ‘This time, I want to dance with you for real, as your partner.’”
Melric’s face lit up subtly as he recalled that day’s memories.
“Elmiran finally noticed me because of that sincerity. And so, Elmiran and I became the light in each other’s eyes.”
It was a confession of love; losing you would extinguish the light in my eyes, indicating how much I love you. It was a moment where one could feel how much Melric loved Elmiran.
“What a beautiful story.”
“It might take a while. But if it’s true love, Mr. Niall, you’ll surely be able to be with that alpha.”
After finishing the story, Melric bid Niall a polite farewell and left. He greeted his wife with a happy face as she ran towards him.
The next day, when Niall delivered another snack basket, he asked Elmiran how she ended up marrying her husband. He wanted to hear their story from Elmiran’s perspective.
Elmiran found some thickly sliced ham in the snack basket, which put her in a good mood, so she told the story nonchalantly.
“I saw him flirting with another woman. It made my blood boil. So, I pounced.”
“…?”
Niall stood there speechless, mouth agape.
“But Melric said he was helping with my knightly dance practice…”
“Oh, that dance?”
Elmiran chuckled.
“I thought, could I really not find a practice partner? These guys hanging around here are all men. If I had reached out after squeezing a few, they would have grabbed my hand before holes formed in my leather armor. I let Melric help out because I found it cute how he acted like he’d help a damsel in distress. Until then, I knew he liked me, but I didn’t really want him. But one day, I went to the blacksmith’s shop and saw him flirting with another woman.”
Elmiran pounded her armored chest with her fist.
“It made me see red. So, I… well, you know.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“…?”
Rljii ibra tlr kbgvr bcmf jujlc.
“Qts? Kgslcu ab jqqis atlr ab Gexf?”
“Tfr. Aera agslcu ab rff lo la mbeiv tfiq.”
Rljii mbcmfvfv gfjvlis. Lf cffvfv rbwf kbgvr bo jvnlmf gluta cbk.
Duke had feelings for Niall. Even Niall could tell. He was convinced during their last meal. Duke didn’t directly say, ‘You’re more lethal than liquor, and I’ve fallen for your charms,’ but it wasn’t a misunderstanding. He had feelings for him. And it was based on physical attraction.
Fialwjafis, Gexf kjr pera jc bgvlcjgs jiqtj.
Ktf qgbyifw kjr Gexf’r offilcur. Rljii yla tlr cjlir. Llr wlcv kjr oliifv klat kbgglfr jybea Gexf ab atf qblca ktfgf mtlivtbbv tjylar gfregojmfv.
Duke did have some liking for me, but it was just the very basic liking that one person could have for another. And it took three months to get to this point, so how much longer would it take to get to sex? Niall needed something to shorten that time.
“Love is so difficult.”
Niall murmured with a weary voice.
“Dating is difficult in the first place.”
“Come to think of it, tomorrow is New Year’s.”
Elmiran piled several layers of ham and stuffed it into her mouth.
“He said he’d make sure to see my face every day, but he left after having just one meal together, saying he had to attend New Year’s ceremonies.”
“Yeah. He’s truly remarkable. The first New Year’s ceremony where he’ll be on top of Duke. How splendidly will he pull it off? I wanted to accompany him, but it’s a pity.”
Elmiran stumbled over her words. Niall opened his mouth but then closed it again. People in the North tended not to think properly about matters related to Duke. Whatever was said, they would accept it as praise for Duke.
“Do you want to meet Duke?”
“Yes.”
“Then come tonight to see the northern sky.”
“The sky?”
Elmiran chuckled.
“You may not see his face, but instead, you’ll witness the miracles he performs.”
Just as Niall was about to ask what that meant, Elmiran pushed the food basket aside and sat up straight.
“And as for love… I’m sure jealousy is key. Try flirting with another alpha in front of Duke. I saw this fox-faced girl sticking close to Melric, subtly touching his arm every time Melric swung his hammer, saying, ‘Oh, Melric, you’re so strong.’ It drove me crazy.”
“…Thank you for the advice.”
Niall shuddered at the thought of himself stroking another alpha’s arm in front of Duke and saying something like ‘You’re really strong.’
“Oh, I’ve finished everything. Thanks again for today, Niall. See you tomorrow!”
Although she didn’t mention coming tomorrow, Elmiran said so and hurried away.
***
“Niall, I brought some consecrated candles to use tonight. I thought you wouldn’t know about it.”
On the way back to his room after dinner, Niall bumped into Morin. Shiralund Castle was so massive that even Niall, who had keen eyes, would get lost if he strayed too far from the main keep, so he rarely encountered Morin while working in the same castle. Seeing Morin after a long time, Niall greeted her with a smile.
“Take this candle with you when you make a wish tonight. Consecrated candles surely have a stronger effect, don’t you think?”
“You mean for the New Year’s celebration?”
New Year’s celebrations were held everywhere. Some places lit bonfires and beat drums to welcome the New Year, while others held solemn prayer meetings.
What about Shiralund? Even though tomorrow was New Year’s Day, people’s expressions didn’t seem to change much, and there didn’t seem to be any special preparations for the festival.
“What’s that all about? The knight told me to go out at night and witness a miracle.”
“If you’re curious, go out at night and see for yourself. It’s something that can’t be explained in words.”
Morin lightly tapped Niall’s cheek as if soothing a child urging her to tell an old story, then turned away.
“Oh, Morin?”
When he called her name, Morin turned back. Niall asked lightly,
“Do you love your husband?”
“Of course.”
Morin turned her body and smiled brightly. Niall, who had shared conversations with her while taking care of the wounded soldiers, knew well how much she loved her husband.
She always worried about her husband, prayed for him, and even said that when the war ended, they would go back home together and try to have a fourth child.
“How did you two meet? Did you fall in love at first sight and smoothly proceed to marriage?”
Niall teased her lightly.
“He probably annoyed you by following you around. You pretended to resist but eventually gave in, right?”
Morin was a cheerful woman. She was slightly nosy and liked to meddle in other people’s affairs, but she was also kind-hearted and enjoyable to be around.
So Niall wasn’t particularly curious about her love story.
Like ordinary women, she would probably have met a man of similar status arranged by her parents at the right age. Even if they had dated, it would have proceeded smoothly.
He had just added a few more words because he felt sorry to leave it like that.
…
However, the smile slowly disappeared from Morin’s face when she received the question. As her hair fluttered in the wind, Morin tucked it behind her ear and showed Niall a facial expression he had never seen before. The twilight had fallen, and Niall focused more and more on Morin’s face as if being drawn into the darkening darkness.
“That’s right, Niall. He fell in love with me at first sight. When we were very young.”
Morin smiled again, but Niall couldn’t see Morin as he had before. Morin looked into the distance and continued her story.
“But I wasn’t interested in him. I was a vain woman, and he was just an ordinary man. The fortune-teller prophesied that I would fall in love with a blond knight who would appear riding a white horse. I believed it so much that I found the ordinary and kind man annoying, and I often ignored him.”
Morin let out a small sigh.
“He truly loved me, but I hurt him in every possible way. I nitpicked about his appearance, belittled his abilities, and spoke ill of his family… When he tried to explain himself, I even blocked my ears, saying his voice gave me goosebumps. Why was I so wicked?”
“……”
“One day, he came to me and asked if there was really no hope. I chuckled and replied that there was no hope until the walls of Shiralund collapsed and invaders slit my throat. Upon hearing my answer, he apologized calmly, saying he had been sorry all along, then turned his back. And he really never showed up again. After a few months, I heard from friends. He was going to marry a girl from the neighboring village? The moment I heard that news, I screamed as if my heart was being torn out. The pain was so intense that I couldn’t even breathe. He was going to marry another woman. In a fit of madness, I eventually went to find him. I had to ask if he was really going to marry someone else.”
Morin smiled and asked Niall,
“What do you think his reaction would have been?”
“……”
i can’t wait to see the Duke jealous haha :)) hope you’re enjoying the releases <3
Thanks for the chapters!
Thank you for the chapter! :DDD
Thankss for the chapters and I’m also curious T-T