“What? You're leaving today?”
Matthias's voice echoed inside the narrow barracks.
“Yes.”
I put on my armor without paying it any mind.
“Is there more business left to attend to?”
“W-Well, I left the official documents regarding the mining yield and distribution status on your desk for your review...”
“I finished processing them all yesterday. The approvals are done, too.”
“What about the mine inspection? Checking the facilities to see if any places need repairs...”
“I finished it all this morning. I even cleared out some monsters while I was at it. I'll leave the corpse disposal to you later.”
“Yes...”
Matthias's face looked quite sullen as he answered.
‘He must dislike the fact that I'm returning early.’
It seemed he mistakenly thought I was rushing because I wanted to see Rose quickly. Well, it was more because I had a lot of things to take care of in the estate.
‘For now, at least the urgent preparations are done.’
There was still some time before ‘that incident’ occurred at the mine. I had given instructions to prepare various things to minimize the damage.
One month felt far too rushed. So many things would happen during this period, and I couldn't help but worry if I could truly adapt to the situation.
‘No, I have to pull it off.’
Only then could I survive. This wasn't the time to worry about whether I could do it; it was a situation where I had to do it.
“...Then, if you'll excuse me, I will prepare for your return.”
I could feel Matthias trying to speak up as usual.
‘I was going to beat him with my scabbard if he crossed the line one more time.’
Seeing him grunt and try so hard was a bit pitiful.
Since we had spent years together, I tended to go a bit soft on the guy. I also knew very well that he liked and followed me a lot.
“I'll trust you with this.”
I deliberately dropped the remark with an impassive face.
“-!”
Matthias's complexion brightened drastically, and
“...Ahem. Yes, Your Grace. Please don't worry.”
I saw him hurriedly suppress the corners of his mouth. But his nostrils were already flaring.
“Then, let's go.”
I turned a blind eye to those nostrils with a nonchalant face.
Creak.
As I opened the door and stepped out, the knights who should have been waiting were nowhere to be seen.
The knights were gathered in small groups in the distance, whispering. They seemed unaware that we had come out of the barracks.
“Your Grace?”
“Shh.”
When I gestured to Matthias, he immediately caught on to my intentions. Together, we quietly approached the knights.
“He seems to be returning at a record-breaking pace.”
“Could something be happening at the castle?”
“I heard from the previous escort squad that he's taken a liking to the new Madam who came this time.”
“His Grace? No way. You must have heard wrong.”
“They said she's pretty?”
The knights who had their heads together gleamed with curiosity.
“I think it was the seventh... or maybe the eighth time?”
“As expected of His Grace. His standards are high. He's gone through seven women already.”
“You know that's not it, you punk.”
“Amidst all that, for him to like this Madam means...”
“She's an incredible beauty?”
“So His Grace is a man, too.”
The knights grinned at each other.
“I want to see her in person!”
“If we go as His Grace's escort this time, don't you think we'd get to see her?”
“......”
After one knight's persuasive remark.
“I'll go!”
“No, I will!”
“Isn't it Squad C's turn this time?”
“Ugh, damn it. I'm so curious.”
“Nils, you're in Squad C, aren't you? Switch with me!”
“No! I want to go too!”
An absurd shouting match broke out.
“......”
Matthias's face started turning red and blue. He looked at me and asked with his eyes, as if seeking permission.
‘May I handle this?’
Nod.
I nodded my head silently. Regardless, disciplining the knights was welcome.
“Gasp.”
“Ack!”
The knights, who belatedly noticed me and Matthias, jumped in surprise.
“Attention!”
Matthias's booming voice echoed across the training ground. I turned my back, leaving behind the suddenly respectful knights with their hands clasped together and the fuming Matthias.
And after some time had passed.
“He-yah!”
I was able to depart from the mine with the somewhat deflated knights. It was an earlier departure than usual.
‘I want to hurry back.’
I felt like rushing my steps today for some reason. Even though I knew that if I kept pushing the horses like this, everyone would be exhausted by the time we arrived.
*Clatter, clatter, clatter, clatter.*
The ground rumbled, trampled by the fierce gallop of the horses. My face stung from the frigid air crashing against me, but the air exhaling from my nose and mouth was hot.
*Clatter, clatter, clatter, clatter!*
The gloomy sky and the barren land flashed by like arrows. After running and running like that, to the point where the horses' bodies were drenched in sweat despite the cold weather.
“Your Grace, *hah*! I'll go ahead and, *hah*. announce your arrival!”
“Go ahead!”
The knight who received the order rode ahead, and the rest of us gradually slowed down.
*Puuuu-*
Thanks to the knight who went ahead, the outer castle's horn blew and the castle gates opened wide.
“Your Grace.”
The outer castle guards bowed in unison.
They were men trained in preparation for any potential invasion, though they hadn't received a formal knighting. Their disciplined aura, not inferior to actual knights, and their outstanding skills were all things to be proud of.
...Except for their excessively sparkling armor.
“Ugh, it's blinding.”
“What's with this radiance?”
The knights blinked and frowned.
“......”
Let's drop it.
I turned my gaze away from the armor oil wasters and headed toward the inner castle.
Originally, whenever I returned, the servants, including Bill and Selma, would come out to greet me. Today too, I could see a crowd gathered in front of the inner castle gates.
And right in the middle of them, I saw what looked like a small red dot planted there.
‘...Rose.’
Rose Vikander, my eighth wife, was there. Her red hair fluttering in the wind, wearing a thick fur coat, clasping both hands tightly as if she was cold.
“......”
It was a strange feeling.
Just the fact that my wife was standing there waiting for me was enough to make this sturdy, cold castle start to look warm.
*Clack, clack.*
As I got closer, Rose's face became clearer. Her sprout-like green eyes blinked, and breath escaped from her slightly parted lips.
Her cheeks were red, perhaps from standing outside for a long time. I could tell without even touching them that they must be frozen cold.
*Clack.*
Finally, the horse stopped, and
*Swish!*
I leaped down from it. The moment our eyes met, Rose's face brightened.
“Your Grace.”
Rose's eyes sparkled as she looked at me.
Inside them, emotions like confusion, worry, and relief swirled chaotically like fallen leaves scattering in the wind, and then—
“You're here.”
They soon settled and were painted over with joy.
It felt like a wild animal, which had its fur bristled in wariness, had grown docile and was now lingering around my feet.
“Madam.”
I readily approached her with a pace that was neither fast nor slow.
*Step.*
When my footsteps stopped in front of Rose, the other servants discreetly stepped back. Thanks to that, Rose was left standing alone in front to converse with me.
“Did you wait long?”
“No. I just came out.”
“Your cheeks are pretty red for someone who just came out.”
I added, examining Rose closely.
“Did you catch a cold?”
At that single remark, the people around began to panic.
“---!”
“-!”
They were all making gestures with their hands and feet, but they were so frantic and flustered that I couldn't understand what they were trying to say at all.
“Madam.”
“Madam, please.”
Eventually, they shifted their target to Rose. Rose smiled awkwardly under the pitiful gazes of the people.
“It's not a cold. It's just because the wind outside is a bit chilly.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course. Everyone was so worried about my health. And the head physician even gave me a thorough check-up.”
“Joel did?”
“Yes. He was a really kind person.”
Rose looked like she had a lot to say. But perhaps conscious of the eyes around her, she stopped speaking there.
“I see. It's cold out here, so let's head inside and finish talking.”
“Yes.”
As I finished the conversation and took a step back,
“Your Grace, welcome back.”
“Did you have a safe trip?”
The servants, led by Bill and Selma, offered their greetings.
“I did.”
I answered absentmindedly, then suddenly realized.
‘Didn't I just naturally talk to Rose first?’
Come to think of it, my gaze had been fixed on that red dot, Rose, ever since the inner castle came into view. Upon arriving, I immediately asked how Rose was doing and put the other servants on the back burner.
‘...Hmm.’
So this was... showing off the excellent image of a husband who loved his wife. Yes, that was it.
But I had performed this nauseating act—which I had never done with any wife before—so naturally, without any calculation at all.
‘Is it because we formed a contract?’
It seemed the contract itself affected a person's mindset.
Yet for something like that, my body moved quite unconsciously. As if I was drawn to Rose.
“......”
I felt a strange mood. It was a bit bewildering and a bit ticklish. I didn't know why.
“Let's go.”
I said as usual, desperately trying to calm my stirring heart.
But the next moment,
“Madam, your hand.”
I naturally reached out my hand to Rose once again. Rather than a sense of obligation to the contract, the thought that I needed to escort Rose took precedence.
‘...Somehow, this isn't like me.’
I paused for a moment at the unfamiliar feeling. But I didn't withdraw my outstretched hand.
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Rose gently placed her small hand on my palm.
There was a slight hesitation, but it wasn't out of caution like on the first day. It was simply the natural wariness that came from making physical contact with another person.
*Step, step.*
The servants followed behind me as I walked, escorting Rose. None of them said a word, but I could feel them engraving Rose's and my every move into their eyes.
‘Their attitudes have clearly changed.’
Before sharing a bedroom with Rose, it felt like they would grasp my intentions first and then decide their attitude toward Rose. Now, it was glaringly obvious just how much they were fawning over Rose.
It actually took quite a long time for me to realize that this was because I had cornered the head physician, Joel, in front of everyone.