19 - How to Survive as the Wife of a Monster Duke
How to Survive as the Monster Duke's Wife
Episode 19 “Eni?”
As Eni's silence grew longer, Illyin called her again.
Eni, startled, immediately replied.
“That’s right. It seems the Molly Tribe we missed that day has joined forces with the ‘Yester’ Tribe.”
Illyin, without a word, approached the bookshelf at her words.
She didn’t bother to make the maids do trivial things.
The maids, feeling sorry for this, served her even more diligently.
Above all, Illyin treated the maids as people.
She was different from the elders or influential families somewhere.
“Yester……”
Illyin spread out the map of Biften and searched for the word ‘Yester’.
Fortunately, Biften used the same letters as the Empire.
She soon found the word Yester in the north of the map.
“They were originally Monsters from the north. They come down looking for colder regions each time, but this year, the northwest wind is so strong that they seem to have come down that far.”
They came down and met the Molly Tribe in the west.
Illyin stared at the map.
She had heard that although the Monsters formed their own colonies, they were not in complete opposition to each other.
It was definitely bad news.
“The Yester have the ability to move several times faster in the cold.”
Eni explained while looking at the map.
Illyin looked at Bifalten Castle, which was relatively close to the Sunlands, and asked.
“It seems each race has different abilities?”
“That’s right.”
Eni tried to keep the explanation short, saying that the young ladies didn't like such stories, but Illyin said it didn't matter if it was long.
Then, Eni began to speak with a happy face.
“There are six races in Biften, including humans……”
Originally, there were seven races.
Illyin listened carefully to the long explanation.
Eni pointed to the southeast, between the Sunlands and Bifalten Castle.
“Originally, a race called Milton lived here. They say they were so beautiful that even humans thought so. What was their ability……”
She nodded as if she had just remembered.
“They could foresee the future.”
Foresaw the future? Illyin’s eyes widened for a moment, and she looked down at the map.
That place was the southeast, the closest to the Sunlands.
The succession ceremony was said to be a ritual to inherit the Lord's name and Authority.
Perhaps because it was near the room where the succession ceremony was held, a solemn atmosphere prevailed as it became quiet.
Illyin was sitting on a chair that seemed to be placed alone in the middle of the almost empty room.
It was a place to receive the Divine Relic of each family.
The maids of Delos who had been attending to her all bowed politely and left the room.
Illyin thought that the important event was being held quite quietly.
More than anything, didn't the Lord's Authority have a significant impact on the continuation of Biften?
So, a fairly large-scale event could be held, but it was unexpectedly quiet.
The fact that the room where the succession ceremony was held was underground, and the people in the mansion were leaving rather than increasing in number, was also the case.
It was a different sight from the wedding ceremony when the mansion was noisy.
Illyin had only been in the bridal chamber during the wedding, but that didn't mean she hadn't grasped the atmosphere of the mansion.
It was definitely different from then.
“I came from Dazzling Elo.”
If red symbolized Delos and blue symbolized Nose, then what symbolized Dazzling Elo was a bright, golden yellow.
The Elo’s nameless lady was wearing a dress with bright decorations, as if revealing the family of ‘Dazzling Elo’ itself.
Although she wore a thick fur cloak over her shoulders, it was somewhat thin to wear in Biften now that it was approaching April.
Is the reason why the succession ceremony is not held on a large scale, perhaps because it is cold?
Then postpone the succession ceremony, Illyin thought, and then realized something.
The succession ceremony was said to be a ritual to inherit the Lord's Authority.
In other words, if the succession ceremony is delayed, the Authority may disappear.
The Authority was the power to protect humans from the Monsters invading the Winter Territory.
It would be difficult if the succession was delayed.
This must be why they are rushing the delayed succession ceremony.
“This is the relic of the Blue Nose, ‘Eltoz’.”
The Elo’s lady put a bright golden bracelet, befitting the Elo’s Divine Relic, on Illyin’s wrist.
She wrapped the long, thin bracelet around her wrist several times and retreated silently.
Illyin looked down at the bracelet on her wrist.
It seemed to have its own light, as if it would shine brightly even in a dark place where the fire was turned off.
She wondered if she could touch it, hesitated, and then carefully raised her hand to block the light reflected in the bracelet.
“Ah……”
Is that why it’s called Dazzling Elo?
The bracelet really emitted a faint light.
It wasn't really bright enough to be dazzling, but it was a yellow and bright light, like sunlight.
“Verdant Mille is here.”
Illyin was startled by the sound of a knock and lowered her hand from near the bracelet.
The sound of the bracelet jingling echoed in the room.
“Come in.”
Mille must have been waiting right outside, as she immediately entered the room with silent steps.
Illyin’s eyes widened at the sight of the flower crown worn by the Mille’s lady.
In Biften, where it is almost impossible to find green or light green grass, it must be a really precious item.
It was only when it reflected the light as it got closer that Illyin realized that it was not real grass and flowers, but an item crafted from jewels.
“It’s called ‘Setoz’ of Mille.”
Are the names of the Divine Relics all similar? Illyin looked up at the Mille’s lady.
There was nothing among the things the lady was holding that looked like a Divine Relic.
“……?”
Was she fifteen years old? She really looked like the name Mille.
Her dark green hair flowed down to her shoulders.
“Here……”
Even though it was a ceremony where she felt like she shouldn't say anything else, she ended up letting out a small voice.
Only then did Illyin accept the flower that the Mille’s lady was holding out.
It was a real flower.
Illyin looked down at the single flower with a surprised look, feeling the moist life in it.
How can there be such a colorful flower in the Winter Territory?
“Is the name of this flower Setoz?”
“Yes.”
The Mille’s lady said in a very small voice.
“……It’s a flower that never wilts.”
A flower that never wilts? Before Illyin could ask again, the Mille’s lady ran out as if fleeing.
She was so embarrassed that she kept her head down as if trying to hide her red cheeks.
Illyin, left alone again, looked down at the flower.
With a golden tassel in the center, the red petals were blooming one by one as if someone had delicately crafted them, it was art.
Even though it clearly ended with a green stem without a base, it looked fresher than any flower she had seen in the Sunlands.
Illyin took a deep sniff of the flower’s fragrance.
“Then you will fall asleep.”
At that moment, a hand suddenly intervened between her and the flower.
The prominent blood vessels on the white hand were noticeable, befitting the people of Biften who hardly received sunlight.
Around the wrist was only the white shirt sleeve, without anything thick.
Startled, Illyin raised her gaze slightly and looked at the arm.
It was really just a thin shirt.
“Aden?”
Illyin seemed to know the identity of the person who had entered silently.
“Yes.”
As expected, it was Aden, it was him.
He seemed to be in a good mood as he answered.
Illyin tried to turn her gaze along the back of his hand as he moved it back, but stopped.
He is behind her.
“Aren’t you cold?”
Jingle, there was a sound of something shaking from behind, not too loud.
What sound is it?
As Illyin pondered, Aden burst into a low laugh.
“Illyin is the only one who would ask the Winter Duke if he is cold.”
……Well, that’s true.
Illyin nodded slightly.
As she moved, the blue Nose cloth fluttered.
The jingling sound stopped for a moment.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
Aden placed his hand on her head.
It was only for a moment.
The thin blue cloth disappeared from before Illyin’s eyes.
He had removed the relic of the Blue Nose.
Illyin blinked.
What is he trying to do?
“I removed it because it was in the way.”
Aden stroked her silver hair as if to reassure her.
It was a prank he occasionally played in bed.
Sweeping down her long hair to the bottom.
No matter how much he played with it, her soft hair never got tangled.
He fiddled with her long hair and ears a few times, then neatly gathered her hair up.
“Would you lend me your hand for a moment?”
Illyin gladly gave her hand back.
The hair he had gathered was placed neatly in her hand.
Is he telling her to hold it?
As she removed her long hair like that, she felt a chill on her Exposed neckline.
Illyin shivered slightly.
Aden gently stroked the back of her neck with his hand.
He wrapped her in both hands as if to convey warmth, and then put something he had been holding around her neck.
“……A necklace?”
It was only for a moment, but she clearly saw it.
The necklace with a pendant that combined red decorations and gold looked somewhat rough, but that was why it looked like Delos.
“This is the Divine Relic of Delos, ‘Mitoz’.”
Aden whispered softly.
Illyin looked down at the necklace.
Looking closely, the red decoration on the necklace looked like a tree branch with small leaves attached to it.
After putting the blue Nose cloth back on, he even put a cloak on Illyin’s shoulders before tapping Illyin’s hand.
When Illyin released the strength in her hand, her long silver hair, which had found its place, flowed down onto the cloak.
“Shall we go?”
The touch of patting her shoulder as if to relieve her tension felt good.
Illyin, who had slightly relaxed her expression, nodded.
The room where the succession ceremony was held was basically dark.
As the faint light coming in from the hallway illuminated the room, she could barely see a round table.
Behind it, the elders of the three families were sitting.
The three people who had been waiting inside stood up and greeted Aden and Illyin as they entered.
Their heads were bowed deeply.
“Sit down.”
Aden said briefly.
As the door through which the two had entered closed, the room was plunged into darkness.
It wasn't as much as the room where the night was spent, but it was dark enough.
A faint light emanated from the round table that was placed alone in the middle of the room.
It was only after looking at the black round table, which was emitting a strange light, for a long time that Illyin realized it was a mirror.
“Then, we will now begin the succession ceremony.”
Lidan of the Blue Nose slowly rose from his seat.
“―”
Is that what it looks like when wizards cast spells? Illyin couldn't understand a single word coming from Lidan's mouth.
As she was a noble, she had studied the common language of the continent as well as the languages of several regions, but she couldn't even guess which language Lidan was speaking.
Is it a language only used in the Winter Territory?
“When the spell is over, you can raise your hand.”
Aden whispered softly next to Illyin.
Illyin clenched the hand holding the Divine Relic of Mille tightly.
Is she supposed to raise this hand? Or should she raise her empty hand?
As if reading her confused mind, Aden took her empty hand.
“You don’t have to be nervous.”
Nothing will happen.
Aden whispered to her soothingly, as he always did at night to reassure her.
“―”
As Lidan’s long spell ended, Aden led Illyin’s hand.
The surprisingly cold surface of the round table touched her palm, contrasting with her warm hand.
“!”
At that moment, Illyin thought her eyes were flashing.
Even with her eyes tightly closed, the dazzling light could not be blocked.
Without realizing it, she raised the hand holding the Divine Relic of Mille to shield her face.
