Chapter 24
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“Shut up, Carlz.”
Her mouth fell open when she heard his growling voice.
Her husband was the Empire’s finest gentleman, always cultured, perfect, and alluring.
‘No matter how tired he is, how could he swear like this?’
He noticed her surprised expression.
“Carlz is a real problem. He’s always teaching you vulgar words and expressions.”
“No…!”
Amarion frowned and looked at Sir Carlz.
She couldn’t say anything truly positive about Carlz’s mannerisms, so it would be better if he refrained from speaking to his master this way.
Carlz, who had been about to say something, downed his drink like water with a pouty expression.
“I wonder if this is how the Empress feels when she sees the Emperor playing with a concubine.”
“Why are you the Empress?”
“Is that important?!”
Leonard patted Carlz on the back as if to comfort him.
She didn’t know what to say and instead ran her fingers over Victor’s eyes, closing them. Diederick quietly draped a blanket over the two of them.
She thanked him with a smile and watched the crackling campfire.
***
She seemed to have fallen asleep.
“Be careful, this way…!”
She woke up to the sound of swords clashing.
The fire had almost gone out, leaving only embers, but her sharp senses allowed her to grasp the situation.
A massive monster had attacked the campsite.
The monster was a nightmare orc. It lived deep in the mountains and was usually active at night, feared for its ability to silently kidnap victims.
‘Why is an orc on a plain like this?’
She panicked and looked around. Several knights had managed to hinder its movement by wrapping chains around its ankles, but the gigantic monster—twice the height of an average man—was thrashing wildly.
She bit her lip and tried to stand, but felt a weight on her thighs.
Victor was asleep, his head in her lap.
“Madame.”
Leonard noticed her stirring and rushed over.
“Stay there. I didn’t wake you on purpose.”
“Is everyone okay?”
“One orc is easy enough to catch. His Grace has been sleeping for a long time, so please rest with him.”
She nodded anxiously and set her sword aside.
The Morte knights weren’t weak enough to be easily defeated, but watching them still made her sad. Amari’s elite knights hunted monsters with ease, yet even veteran knights struggled against an orc.
Two knights quickly approached the monster’s rear. They were likely aiming to sever the joint behind its knee.
‘But that move is dangerous…!’
Suddenly, Victor opened his eyes.
She looked down at him in surprise.
“Victor? You’re awake…”
He didn’t respond, drawing his sword from his waist and striding toward the monster.
Seeing their master entering the orc’s range, the knights shouted.
“Your Grace! It’s dangerous!”
“…!”
The next moment left her in awe, her mouth agape.
“No way…”
In a single sword stroke, the orc collapsed, its stomach brutally torn open.
‘It takes me two strikes to fell an orc, and he did it in one?’
Orcs had leather-like skin, which was why her sword couldn’t penetrate it in one blow.
But Victor’s strength made it possible.
Praise for Victor erupted from all around. His knights jumped up and ran toward him.
“Amazing, my lord! Only the Duke could do such a thing…”
Gradually, their footsteps slowed.
Their bodies sensed the danger.
She felt it too. Goosebumps rose on her arms, and she unconsciously straightened her spine.
Slowly, Victor’s gaze shifted to his knights.
She shouted.
“Get away!”
Bang!
A tent collapsed with a horrific sound, struck by Victor.
She clenched her teeth and drew her sword.
The current Victor was in a nightmarish sleepwalking state. But for some reason, he was stronger than on any previous night.
‘Why is this happening? Because he slept so long? Or because we’re outdoors?’
She struggled to lure him into an open field away from camp. The knights grabbed Diederick and fled. It was understandable why they ran from their master without looking back, but it still felt a bit sad.
‘I should’ve just killed the orc… it’s much easier than—’
Without time to lament, Victor’s sword swung at her fiercely. She twisted her body, narrowly dodging the eerie strike.
Their swords met with a sharp clang.
“You must sleep deeply tonight.”
She smiled bitterly as she parried his blade.
“Victor.”
‘He can’t hear me.’
It was more upsetting because she hadn’t seen him like this in so long.
His eyes were cloudy, his hands gripping his sword tightly. He was lost in a nightmare.
‘How much pain will he be in when he wakes tomorrow?’
She dodged and swiftly circled behind him. Right now, she just wanted to put him to sleep.
“Good night, my husband.”
With a quick strike, his sturdy body collapsed.
***
Victor woke late the next morning.
“You’re awake?”
After rummaging through the orc’s corpse for a while, she greeted the approaching Victor.
He looked at her with a strange expression.
“What are you doing?”
“Taking out the poison glands.”
Nightmare orcs had poison sacs in their throats used to paralyze prey.
It was toxic if ingested or touched directly, but when diluted, it was a valuable ingredient for various medicines.
In Amari, killing a nightmare orc was cause for celebration, seen as a good omen.
They only got one plate of pickled meat each, but they called it a feast…
The knights on guard watched in amazement as she skillfully slit the orc’s throat and extracted the poison sacs.
Victor moved to her side.
“Need any help?”
“I’m fine. Please stay back. You might get blood on you.”
“It’s already everywhere.”
She looked up at Victor. He was smiling bitterly.
“I hurt you.”
“Ah.”
She had gotten a scratch while protecting the knights.
It wasn’t serious, and Diederick had already treated and bandaged it.
She hid her arm behind her back.
Victor’s expression twisted.
“I’m sorry…”
“I told you not to apologize for things that aren’t your fault.”
She spoke firmly while storing the poison glands in a leather pouch.
“You have an illness. It’s one we’re treating together, but it’s not easy. I don’t resent the ill.”
Victor’s eyes darkened.
She still couldn’t read his thoughts.
What was clear was that he wasn’t smiling brightly as usual.
She tried to comfort him as best she could.
“Victor, you don’t know… at night, you’re too weak to hurt me.”
Victor’s golden eyes widened.
“If it weren’t for the knights yesterday, it would’ve ended without a scratch. It normally takes just a few minutes.”
“…”
“Do you get angry when your dog scratches you?”
Victor asked, a beat late.
“…You mean I’m a puppy?”
“Is that weird?”
“No… I’ve never heard such a metaphor.”
He looked a little stunned.
She burst out laughing.
“You called me a wildcat.”
“I did. You still look like a wildcat to me.”
“Nighttime Victor is like that to me too.”
‘A knight by day, but as weak as a child by night.’
‘That’s the Victor I know.’
She had been scared at first, but now that she understood, he was too weak to be a real threat.
It was sad to see such a strong person’s vulnerability. She witnessed his body and mind at their weakest every night.
She wiped her hands with a rag and approached him.
“So, just say thank you and smile.”
A smile slowly spread across Victor’s lips. It was bittersweet, but as always, beautiful.
“That’s better.”
He hugged her tightly.
“How can there be someone as sweet and pure as you?”
She couldn’t speak for a moment and simply hugged him back gently. As they shared body heat, she felt unexpected comfort. She hoped he did too.
Someone shouted.
“Stop it and come back! How can you behave like that?!”
She startled and pushed Victor away.
Victor glared fiercely at the jeering knights and took her hand.
She was led back to camp, blushing.
***
