The door to the king’s office opened urgently. The Duke of Aldrant, who usually did not hurry, walked briskly. The captain of the knights, Anton, who had arrived early, greeted him. Without even sitting down, Duke Gezell immediately asked a question.
“What happened?”
“Reports came in that unidentified animal carcasses were found near the castle. I went to inspect, and we found signs of blood on the plains, so we went into the forest. There, we discovered monsters and eliminated them. Afterward, we searched the surroundings, but it seems they left in a group to find prey.”
“Reinforce the guard along with the wall. Rarely do they come down near the castle… We should inform Lady Frida. There might be another attack soon. Was there no other unusual sign?”
“There were no particular situations or signs, but… during the inspection, I encountered Maelrosen and he joined our forces. Although still a trainee, he’s from an outside region, so I thought it would be good for him to see Aldrant’s nighttime environment.”
“What did you say?”
Gezell’s voice grew louder. Anton lowered his head slightly.
“He received a slight injury during the battle. I should have guided him better; I apologize.”
“…Where is he now?”
“Due to the public’s eyes, he couldn’t go to Your Grace’s bedroom. I directed him to a room on the second floor for treatment.”
Before Anton could finish speaking, Gezell abruptly stood up. He didn’t use the door but vanished from where he was.
In the office, Anton, left behind, widened his eyes in surprise and sighed,
“He’s not alone, Your Grace.”
The one who suddenly appeared in the middle of the room without warning didn’t startle just Rensley. The physician who had come to check on Rensley’s condition and a few knights who had been chatting while observing him also had their eyes widened. The physician dropped the scissors he was holding.
“Your Grace! How did you…”
Hearing the bewildered greeting from the physician, Rensley thought quickly. He was lightly injured, and now a lord, using magic to come and check on a trainee knight personally… it felt awkward.
Other knights couldn’t hide their confusion either and were glancing alternately between Rensley and Gezell. Rensley smiled broadly, stood up, bowed deeply, and offered his greetings.
“It’s been a while, Your Grace. I appreciate your always treating a humble servant like me as an honored guest due to my duties for Her Grace. It’s an honor to have you visit personally.”
“…Were you injured in battle?”
“Well, that’s…”
Rensley’s eyes reddened slightly. Rolling his eyes halfway, he simply smiled.
“It would be cool to say I got injured fighting monsters, but that’s not the case. I was bitten by a puppy… I think I unintentionally provoked the scared little guy who was hiding.”
“Fortunately, it’s not a serious injury.”
Among the regular knights, an older member, somewhat of a senior figure, added some strength to Rensley’s words. Meanwhile, the new recruits stood close to Rensley, exchanging whispers and joking.
“Getting bitten by a puppy on the first outing after deployment. Isn’t that memorable?”
“Shut up. Have you ever officially deployed?”
“We often go to the forest. It was your first time, wasn’t it?”
Rensley’s voice as he responded was filled with laughter, akin to a heavily laced whisper. Gezell, after glancing around at them, spoke up.
“Everyone, leave. I have something to discuss with Maelrosen.”
It was a cold tone. Once they confirmed that the injuries were minor, everyone, who had thought Gezell might be worried, once again tensed up in the chilly atmosphere of the lord. The medic, who finished wrapping the bandages, and the knights who had been chatting left one by one, leaving behind greetings and quietly exiting, casting furtive glances.
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.
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“…Yes.”
“Sit.”
Rensley sat hesitantly on the chair. Gezell, too, sat facing him in the chair where the medic had been sitting, carefully lifting the arm wrapped in bandages.
“Weren’t you supposed to help in the kitchen?”
“Well, that’s… I met the commander on my way to the kitchen, and things turned out this way.”
“You got bitten by a dog.”
“It was a small puppy, so to speak. Its teeth weren’t sharp yet, so I didn’t get hurt much. It was limping, probably because it injured its leg. It seemed to have run over, surprised by a sudden fight nearby. At first, I was startled by something rushing at me, but it was a little puppy.”
Responding with silence to the explanation that sounded like an excuse, Gezell untied the bandage. Despite the medic’s efforts, the bandage that had been tightly wrapped all came loose. Even with disinfection and hemostasis, the wound, where the marks of the beast’s teeth were vividly evident, became exposed, and Gezell openly furrowed his brow. Rensley quickly added an explanation.
“They said I’d heal quickly. As you can see, it’s not a deep wound.”
“Wounds from animal bites are difficult to stitch up, leaving significant scars. If disinfection or treatment is mishandled, there’s also a possibility of it spreading to other diseases.”
Gezell reached out to the wound.
“I’ll continue the treatment, so endure a bit of pain.”
Before Rensley could reply that the treatment was already done, a green light, like watercolor spreading between Gezell’s hand and the wound, began to emanate. Rensley bit his lip firmly. As Gezell’s hand held onto the arm, he applied force as if pinching it, causing Rensley to gasp in pain.
It was a piercing agony, as if the flesh was being torn. It hurt more than when he was bitten by the dog. Rensley, who was enduring without complaining, could no longer hold back and appealed when the green light intensified, correlating with the increasing pain.
“Your Grace, it hurts more now than when I was bitten.”
“Endure a little longer. I’m not very proficient in healing magic, so bear with it.”
“If you’re not proficient, shouldn’t you refrain from doing it?”
Trying not to scrutinize whether he was intentionally causing pain, Rensley bit his lip. As the pain prolonged, tears welled up and trickled down. Unconsciously taking deep breaths, he gazed through the mysterious green light.
Although he mentioned his lack of proficiency, his magic seemed to have a definite effect. The intense pain that felt like flesh and bones burning gradually subsided. As the magical pain diminished, the throbbing pain from the wound also lessened.
Rensley blinked his moistened eyes, watching the scene where the green light between Gezell’s hand and his skin faded into a pale lavender. As the light weakened, even the tooth marks that were punctuated like needle scars became faint, like emerging fresh skin.
Now the pain was bearable. Rensley, who had relaxed his expression while looking at his healed wound, met Gezell’s gaze. Despite the clear improvement in the injury, Gezell didn’t show much satisfaction.
“Your Grace, thank you very much. It seems mostly healed now, doesn’t it?”
“As Sir Maelrosen said, it wasn’t a deep wound.”
Only after a while did Rensley’s arm become free. While bloodstains still clung to it, the wound had noticeably improved. Wasn’t this close to complete recovery? Rensley stared at his miraculously healed arm with eyes full of wonder.
Checking his condition by rotating his arm, Rensley raised his head and met eyes with Gezell. Even though the wound seemed fully healed, Gezell didn’t express much happiness.
“Your Highness, I’m truly grateful.”
“Why did an apprentice like you end up going on a night patrol in the forest? Did Commander Anton order you to do so?”
“No!”
Rensley quickly shook his head.
“Commander told me to return to the castle and wait. I insisted on going with him, and that’s how it happened. He also warned me that you would worry if I got hurt, but I was careless, and I apologize. Your Grace, please don’t blame Commander. It’s all my fault.”
“Shouldn’t you hold the knight accountable if you think it’s his fault?”
“Yes, please do. I’ll accept any punishment.”
“Even if it means being stripped of your knighthood?”
Rensley’s eyes widened. It felt like his cheeks had stiffened. Unable to answer, he bit his lip lightly. Gezell’s voice, once cold like the icy wind beyond the castle walls, became even colder.
“Originally, your duty was to quietly stay in the Duchess’ room until the situation was resolved. But I judged that you have various talents, and your temperament is not suitable for a life confined to a room. So, I suggested joining the knight order. However, disobeying the orders and getting injured… I can’t help but regret my judgment.”
There was no justification for his sensible words. Rensley cast his gaze down and picked at the words inside his mouth. No matter how he thought about it, it was unfair. In the end, there was no effective way to express his apologies or promises to be more careful. Failing to come up with any sharp retorts, he subtly suppressed his sense of injustice.
Gradually, a strange feeling crept in. It was strange for a knight to be interrogated so thoroughly for getting injured in battle.
“Now I’m just an apprentice, but didn’t I pass the entry test for the order?”
The lingering discomfort overwhelmed the initial awkwardness. Rensley, while checking the Duke’s expression, continued speaking.
“Oh, I heard that the Aldrant Knights prioritize not only guarding lords but also preparing for battles against monsters, unlike knights for kings. Today, although I was an apprentice, it was my first sortie, and I was nervous because I was not yet accustomed to battles with monsters. Considering that I contributed in my own way and wasn’t seriously injured by the monster, I think it’s not a bad result for a first outing.”
“So, you feel unjustly treated?”
Once the exact words defined his feelings, embarrassment overcame the initial awkwardness. Rensley didn’t deny it. It was a fact.
“Yes. It’s always a risk for knights to be injured. Although I’m an apprentice, the person who suggested I become a knight in the first place is Your Grace. But now, after getting hurt in my first real battle, you’re angry. I don’t know what to do.”
“There’s no need for you to do anything. As you said, I’m the one who suggested you become a knight, and I’m considering the results of my own actions.”
“Your Grace, it’s really nothing. I used to get injured like this quite often even when I lived in Cornia. I even got bitten by a larger dog.”
Upon saying that, Gezell’s expression grew darker.
“How did that happen?”
“When I was young, I didn’t know that hunting dogs could be scary. I was playing around next to one without realizing it, and it ended up biting me. Look here, there’s still a scar.”
Rensley’s fearlessness, which had never encountered hostility from animals, led to an incident. The hunting dog, owned by none other than Prince Felix, the Crown Prince and Rensley’s sworn enemy, resembled its master and was fierce. To Rensley, the dog was just a dog, regardless of who its owner was. Thinking it wouldn’t be much different from other dogs, Rensley approached it playfully, only to get bitten on the leg. The wound was significant, and although he immediately received treatment, a scar remained.
As Rensley lifted the hem of his pants, Gezell held onto his white ankle and traced the small scar on his calf. The skin that had been pierced long ago now only retained faint traces.
His long fingers gently brushed over the area. Continuing to stroke the same spot, it started to itch. Gezell, who had been silent all along, sighed lightly.
“That’s right. There can never be perfect safety in life.”
Rensley withdrew his ankle from his grasp. Standing up from the chair, he approached Gezell. Even though he slowly sat on Gezell’s knees, Gezell didn’t push him away.
“Your Grace, it was my first outing, my first encounter with monsters that I had only heard about, and my first time in the forest. There were many things I wanted to say when we met, but since you started interrogating me, it became frustrating… I’m sorry.”
At this, Gezell chuckled bitterly and spoke.
“I see. You talk about it as if you went on a picnic.”
“Yes. People are saying that the creatures we encountered today are nothing special. But still, their appearance was truly terrifying. They were as white and slippery as a freshly caught octopus, and they had no eyes, nose, or mouth. Suddenly, eyes started appearing here and there… ugh… honestly, it was really disgusting.”
“I understand what kind of creatures they are.”
Gezell snickered. A hint of contempt passed through his pumpkin-colored eyes. On the other hand, Rensley’s expression was filled with sympathy.
“Still, when all of them were killed, and only one was left, it seemed a bit pitiful. At first, they seemed like monsters, but later, they seemed like creatures that knew fear. When the others said they were no different from foxes encountered on a picnic, I thought they were just exaggerating.”
“Sir Maelrosen seems to be compassionate.”
Gezell’s sarcasm turned into a smile.
“It seems there’s a vulnerability in the northern defense somewhere. There might be another attack soon. Not like today’s unexpected encounter, but a planned one.”
“At that time, I’ll really go on an official outing.”
“There’s no obligation for you to do so, but… you want to, don’t you?”
“Your Grace, you entrusted me with this task. There’s no one who becomes a knight and serves as a royal escort just for fun. Even though my role as the Grand Duchess is temporary, I have pledged to continue serving as a knight. Without standing properly as a knight, where would I belong in this country?”
Instead of answering, Gezell gently touched the blonde hair this time. Rensley looked down. It was more difficult to deny the affection conveyed by that touch than to endure the previous scolding. When Gezell advised him in a subdued manner, Rensley internally sighed in relief. Fortunately, it seemed he could maintain his status as a knight.
“Though many are knights, there’s only one person in the position of Grand Duchess. If you feel it’s dangerous, prioritize yourself as the Grand Duchess no matter what.”
“I understand. Even if one or two knights get injured or die, it won’t be a problem, but if it’s the Grand Duchess, the situation will become much bigger.”
Unable to overcome the ache in his chest, Rensley gave a vague, apologetic response. In response, Gezell raised his eyebrows slightly. It seemed not to convey that meaning, but rather to indicate that he didn’t mean it that way. Rensley asked without giving him a chance to say otherwise.
“Do you know about potential candidates for the remarriage of the Grand Duchess? It’s been quite a while since I came here, and there’s no news yet.”
“…It’s not an urgent matter, so there’s no need to rush.”
“Even if it doesn’t seem like it, people see and hear everything. Although it may seem fine now, as time passes, people will find it strange if there’s no progress. Many people are still curious about the Grand Duchess’s movements even now.”
“Is that so.”
Perhaps he already knew. The astute Gezell wouldn’t remain oblivious to public sentiment, even if Rensley didn’t inform him.
“Is there an Imperial envoy residing in Cornia?”
It was a sudden question. Rensley nodded.
“Yes, there was a residence for the envoy in Celestine. It wasn’t as grand as the capital, but it was very close.”
“There is one in Roudken as well. Aldrant is politically independent compared to other places, and the envoy tends not to interfere with internal affairs. However…”
Unexpectedly, an Imperial envoy? Rensley couldn’t grasp the meaning of what he was saying and just blinked.
“I am planning to hold a banquet in the near future. I don’t particularly enjoy banquets, but it’s part of a Duke’s duties to entertain guests. At that time, as the Grand Duchess, you should attend. It will also help alleviate the rumors among the people.”
Only then did Rensley nod. Indeed, revealing himself in that manner would likely reduce the rumors among the people.
However, it was still just a temporary measure. What good would it do to publicize the well-being of the current Grand Duchess to the world? If there were things that needed to be done, the sooner the Grand Duke remarried and Rensley could fulfill his rightful role as a knight, the better.
Thinking that way, Rensley couldn’t help but smile wryly. He had just displayed an act of devoted loyalty on the subject he had spit venom on not long ago. He asked Gezell while embracing his neck.
“Your Grace, do you enjoy being with me?”
“Of course. It can’t get any better than this.”
A secret rendezvous with a set time limit, a meeting hidden from others, was as sweet as it could get. Rensley, who used to enjoy these secret affairs, knew that thrill better than anyone. For a man who used to live on tasteless food in this cold northern country, it would probably be the best special treat he’d ever had.
Putting an end to the dull conversation, Rensley lowered his head. When their lips overlapped, the arm around Rensley’s waist, held by Gezell, tightened with a new strength.
Gezell don’t be like this (๑•﹏•) Being Protective is okay but no over coddling . No no !
But its okay these feelings are New for him too 😀My Dear Duke has no plans to get ……….. Since he already has his ………….. (/^-^(^ ^*)/
Thank you! So much consistent you guys are ~~
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