Chapter 121
#121. Duke Elkin's Visit
"......Welcome. My strangely generous patron."
Olivia was overwhelmed with emotion and didn't know what to say. But Edwin's words referring to her made her burst into laughter. Tears she had been holding back streamed down her cheeks.
"Is that what you were calling me?"
"No. The full name is: the worrisome, cold, but strangely generous letter-sending patron."
Edwin was right. Her knight, whose name she didn't know, was really, as she had hoped, Edwin.
She couldn't hold back any longer. Seeing her face, a mix of tears and laughter, Edwin carefully wiped away the tears streaming down Olivia's cheeks.
.
.
.
It was only after she had calmed down somewhat that Olivia slowly opened her mouth. She had many questions, but if she had to pick the most pressing one, it was this.
"Did you know that I was Liv Green?"
The tables had turned. Now it was Edwin who was watching her carefully. Olivia chuckled and gently tugged on their clasped hands.
"Too bad. I was hoping I would have found out first. When did you find out, Edwin?"
"......Your wrist has healed. I'm glad."
"Don't change the subject. I won't be upset if you hid it."
"......From the first time we met?"
"The first time we met, as in, on Ruheirn Street?"
Olivia's eyes widened. Edwin hesitated to correct her, then nodded.
He had learned that Liv Green was Olivia Madelaine on the battlefield, but he hadn't known her face until he met her. So that interpretation seemed more accurate.
Meanwhile, Olivia seemed to have found her voice.
"You didn't say anything for so long? I was so worried when the letters suddenly stopped. I guess the letters came all at once. The day I received the letters from The Empire was the day after the ball to welcome the Knights who had gone to subjugate the beasts."
Edwin chuckled softly, finding her chattering red lips endearing.
"I was going to go to The Empire after reading those letters, hoping to see my Knight even once."
Edwin's brow furrowed slightly as he smiled gently. At that time, Olivia wouldn't have realized that he was the one writing the letters.
"Don't tell me. You're not saying you were going to The Empire to see another man, right in front of me?"
His face, smiling kindly, looked a little sulky.
Was that how it sounded? Olivia pondered for a moment, then smiled brightly and shook their clasped hands slightly.
"That Knight was Edwin! I didn't know because Edwin didn't tell me, so forgive me."
Come on, come on, come on.
Before she could even finish chanting the spell in her head, Edwin smiled brightly. And he moved closer. The scent that wafted over her was so alluring that before Olivia could prepare for what was about to happen next.
With a light sound, his lips touched her cheek, then pulled away.
Olivia blinked.
"......I'll forgive you enough."
Edwin's pretty face, beaming with a smile, moved away. Olivia parted her lips and smiled back.
Smiling was the best way to suppress her regretful feelings.
.
.
.
There was so much to talk about.
Pretending not to notice Olivia's sparkling eyes, Edwin stood up abruptly.
"It's late, Liv. It's time for bed."
"I'm not quite ready yet... Ah, when did you leave The Empire?"
"Two days ago."
"In just two days?"
Olivia repeated Edwin's words, her eyes widening.
She knew that traveling a distance that took at least three days in just two days was the same as coming without taking a single breath.
Olivia, who had been reluctant to get up from the sofa just a moment ago, stood up immediately.
"I should go and rest quickly, then. Edwin."
The hallway was silent. It was the complete opposite of the noisy laughter from the distant banquet hall.
"It seems the ball hasn't ended yet."
"Bethany put out the Fruit Wine early today."
Edwin's eyes narrowed.
"Ah. The wine that my lady likes."
"Unfortunately, I'm abstaining from alcohol because I'm planning to go to the Valley of Senua."
He didn't like the plan to go to the Valley of Senua, but he couldn't have been happier with the face of his lady, who was smiling as she said she was abstaining from alcohol.
Strangely, the walk to escort her always felt too short.
Standing in front of her room, Olivia looked at Edwin for a moment. How could she miss him so much after not seeing him for just a few days?
Just as she was about to step into the room, reluctantly turning away, he spoke.
"Just a moment."
Huh? Olivia's eyes widened.
A hand reached towards her neck and casually undid the first button of her Robe. In the quiet hallway, the Robe fell to the floor with a soft thud.
What was this, why all of a sudden?
She had no idea what his intention was. The thoughts that stretched out, as if trying to guess, didn't suit the proper Edwin at all, and Olivia's cheeks were gradually turning red.
"What were you thinking to make your face so red? I was just going to take the Robe I left with Liv."
......Huh?
Olivia's mouth fell open slightly. At the unexpected answer, Olivia's face flushed as red as fire.
Edwin, who had been deliberately teasing her, shrugged his shoulders with a face as if he had no such intention. And he picked up the Robe and said.
"Surely, you weren't looking at me as someone who isn't a gentleman, were you?"
"......Just undoing the button without saying anything is enough to cause misunderstandings."
Olivia pointed out the fact as if making the most of her composure. Edwin, who was looking at his lady's face as if she were cute, smiled and apologized.
"I'm sorry. I went too far with the joke."
It seemed like the scent of apples would waft from her puffed-up cheeks, as if she wouldn't let it go easily. Edwin added, as if he were sincere.
"I won't play any more jokes like this until the wedding. Until then, I'm going to live as a perfect gentleman."
It was no secret that the wedding would be moved forward. It was just a fact he hadn't mentioned.
Edwin smiled, hiding the words he hadn't said. His red eyes, which had sunk deeply as if coveting her, were hidden in his narrowly curved eyes. Pretending to be a gentleman was now familiar to him.
"Good night. Sweet dreams."
"Wait a minute!"
At the urgent voice, Edwin turned around without thinking. Soon, his arm was pulled and all he could see in his defenselessly lowered vision was...
Her pretty face, looking nervous. And a very sweet kiss. This overly seductive situation.
"You too, Edwin. Good, good night."
Her face was red as she hurriedly went into the room. Edwin stared blankly at the closed door, then unconsciously reached out his hand.
It wasn't that he wanted anything else. He just wanted to see that pretty face one more time...
That's when it happened.
Winster, who had appeared from somewhere, stood as if blocking Olivia's door with agility. Edwin's eyes darkened.
"In the past, His Highness told me to stop you by any means if you seemed like you were going to become a scoundrel."
Winster smiled brightly as he received the cold gaze.
Seeing his fiercely sharp face made him feel like the fatigue from running next to the Grand Duke for the past two days had completely disappeared.
"I have a very excellent and honorable Knight."
"Thank you for the compliment."
Winster replied with a bright smile, even to the murderous intent he spat out through gritted teeth.
It was a light punishment compared to the extent to which he had made people's hearts drop in the middle of the night.
"Duke Elkin is said to be coming to the Territory of Vikander, passing through the Great Plains."
"That's strange. My lady has no connection with Duke Elkin at all."
Edwin recalled Duke Elkin, whom he had seen in The Empire.
Although his hair color, which was the same as the Empress', and his snake-like gaze were annoying, he wasn't someone who seemed to be a major threat.
"We will continue to confirm the purpose of his visit. And the Madeleine Dukedom... has passed through the Viscount Katangta Territory."
Edwin shook his head.
"Anything else to report?"
"Lastly, Dian says to be sure to tell you that he is very, very, very sorry."
Winster added, looking out the window. Edwin, imagining Dian who was sure to be running around the training grounds, smiled and turned around.
It was a clear order to run around there all night.
Winster smiled brightly, as if he knew it would be. It was a light punishment compared to the extent to which he had made people's hearts drop in the middle of the night.
The training grounds in broad daylight.
"We absolutely did not go near the Valley of Senua."
"That's right. We heard about the restricted areas from the Deputy Commander, so we absolutely did not enter that area!"
For some reason, questions about the Valley of Senua were being asked.
The regular Knights who were in charge of searching the area shouted at the top of their lungs to emphasize how well they had followed the rules.
"Thank you for your hard work. Thank you for letting me know."
Olivia said with a kind smile. Their faces, tanned under the midday sun, turned red, and they saluted and began practicing again.
The heat in the training grounds was unusually high today. Oblivious to the different atmosphere than usual, Olivia thought about Edwin's words for a moment.
"......Let's go to the Valley of Senua. Me, Olivia, Dian, and Bethany. However, before we go, let's first check with those who have recently been to the border to subjugate beasts to see if there's anything suspicious."
"My lady. Please have some cool juice. It's hot even under the awning."
Bethany brought cold juice, squeezing into the gap in her preoccupied thoughts. Bethany, who had been scolding her severely since she woke up in the morning for trying to go to a dangerous place, now had a completely relaxed face.
Olivia smiled brightly and took the glass. Edwin had left for the mine again an hour ago, so she was only thinking that he would be back soon.
It would be good to find out some useful information by then.
It was just as she was pondering for a moment.
A Knight came running urgently from afar. The Knight, who said he was looking for the Grand Duke, had a sign on the front of his right chest that said he was a Knight guarding the castle walls.
Why would a Knight guarding the castle walls come all the way to the Ducal Palace?
Olivia called the Knight.
The Knight, startled by his lady's call, saluted and cautiously spoke.
"I greet my lady. Um... an uninvited guest has arrived from The Empire."
"An uninvited guest? Who is it?"
"He identified himself as Duke Elkin."
Duke Elkin. The first thing that came to her mind was, ridiculously, the Madeleine Dukedom. Olivia smiled bitterly.
Even though Edwin was away for a while, there was no reason for her to meet Duke Elkin. Meanwhile, the Knight continued with a troubled face.
"Well, that's... Normally, I would have told him to go back. But there's one thing that's bothering me, so I came to ask you."
"What is it?"
"Well, Duke Elkin... said he knows something about your mother..."
For a moment, all sound seemed to stop. Olivia quietly looked at the Knight.
Suddenly, Edwin's words came to mind. Do as you wish.
The hallway of the Ducal Palace.
The castle was decorated more splendidly and elegantly than he had expected. The neatly polished glass windows, the shaped and draped curtains, the ornaments placed on the side tables, and the fresh flowers.
The bright, cream-colored feel was harmoniously decorated with the Territory of Vikander's unique red, black, silver, and green colors, making it look quite plausible.
But.
Duke Elkin looked at the ushering servant with a displeased eye.
Not even a butler, just a servant. The hospitality was terrible.
Well, this was the Ducal Palace. What would the owner, the Grand Duke, have learned to know? Duke Elkin scoffed and shook his head. The Grand Duke would still be in The Empire. His Majesty the Emperor would be keeping a firm hold on him.
His plan to win over the lady in the meantime was going smoothly. It was the same now. The Knights guarding the firmly closed castle walls had hurriedly opened the door at the mention of 'the lady's mother'.
The lady was inside that door.
"It's been a while, Duke Elkin. Grand—"
"Oh, Lady."
Duke Elkin raised his voice, pretending to be overly pleased.
Despite the interruption, the lady showed no signs of displeasure, and only a middle-aged maid and two young Knights were by her side.
"No, should I call you Young Lady? I heard you don't like being called Lady Madeleine. But it's not familiar to my tongue, you see."
The lady only smiled like a doll. Duke Elkin felt a little more relieved when his words, thrown out to test the waters, worked.
"But the Ducal Palace's hospitality is terrible. I heard that the lady led the Summer Ball. It seems that even with those great skills, it was still difficult to dominate the Ducal Palace?"
"I heard that you have something you want to say to me, Duke."
How hasty.
The way she revealed her desire to hear the main point without delay was exactly like a young lady. He was the one holding the important cards.
Duke Elkin leaned back comfortably. And he turned the conversation around with a smile.
"That's also true. Well, I'm quite tired from the journey. I can't remember what I was going to say. But..."
Duke Elkin trailed off and frowned.
"The servants of the Ducal Palace have no sense. To remain there even as the conversation progresses this far."
"They are not just servants, they are wizards from the North. This is my escort Knight, who always protects me."
A wizard from the North and an escort Knight. It would have been troublesome even if there were only Knights, but a wizard. Duke Elkin made a displeased face.
"......I see. But do we need a wizard and an escort Knight for the story we're going to talk about today? I came to tell the Young Lady a story that would be helpful to her with good intentions. Standing like that is, well."
Duke Elkin added, strutting around as if provoking her.
"It's like a threat."
"A threat, how dare you to our lady...!"
"It's okay, Sir Szelin."
It was when the Knight who was standing behind her was about to get angry like fire. The lady, who smiled and soothed the Knight behind her, changed the subject.
"Is this your first visit to the Territory of Vikander?"
"Ahem. That's right."
"How was it? Did you enjoy the scenery on your way here?"
Duke Elkin swallowed his laughter. It was the most common start in the aristocratic way of speaking.
"The scenery was beautiful. The water looked clear too."
"The scenery here is beautiful, but one hundred out of one hundred first-time visitors get lost because it is so high and rugged."
"......"
"The castle walls are so solid and magnificent. They protect the territory more strongly than any other border in the east, west, south, or north."
Duke Elkin, who had been listening to what she was saying, grasped the subtle flow of the air. But it was too late.
"That's why the nickname in The Empire is Iron Fortress."
The voice, which had become low before he knew it, pressured the Duke. Her solid Green Eyes, as if seeing through people, calmly seized the Duke's gaze.
"I opened the door because you said you knew something about my mother... But once these castle gates are closed, Duke, you will be spending quite a long time in the Territory of Vikander."
He was breathless. Could it be that he had come into the snake's mouth?
"What are you talking about...! Lady, I am a Duke of the Franz Empire. If I disappear..."
The Duke, who was stammering, was startled by what he had said and closed his mouth. Disappear. How could this young girl make him make such a scary assumption? Just because of the atmosphere?
Olivia, who had created this atmosphere, shrugged her shoulders as if it were nothing.
"Disappear. What a scary thing to say. I'm just assuming what it would be like if you stayed in this scenic Territory of Vikander for a long time."
Assumption. Whether that assumption would come true depended on Duke Elkin. As if to prove that, her frosty, sharp eyes smiled.
"......Even if something bad happens to you in the meantime, no one will know."
Duke Elkin felt goosebumps all over his body.
He never thought that the girl he had been looking down on for so long would look at him with such chilling eyes.
Duke Elkin swallowed hard. It was the first time he felt the sensation of his Adam's apple moving so unfamiliar.
"......Well, is this what you call a threat? But I don't know because I'm far from anything like a threat."
Olivia tilted her head and smiled innocently.
Duke Elkin clenched his fist tightly under the table at the sight of her changing the atmosphere in an instant.
Olivia Madelaine, no, Olivia. That little witch...!
"I'm curious about the story you brought all the way here, and you brought up my mother's story, saying that you were being kind to me for some reason."
Her cool Green Eyes scanned Duke Elkin's stiff posture. His shoulders, which he had proudly leaned back, and his legs, which he had arrogantly crossed.
"......Are you still tired?"
Duke Elkin straightened in his chair at the gentle prompting. Olivia much preferred his awkwardness. Seeing his improved posture, she tilted her lips into a smile and asked, "So, you know something about my mother?"
