I Became A Married Man in Another World
Chapter 123
123. The Name of the Border Count of Bern
“If I could work under Your Excellency, it would be a truly great honor. Becoming the sword of the family that protects this land is a distinction anyone would long for. However, I am but a simple rustic; my only wish is to live quietly with my wife and daughter rather than lead a life of glory.”
“….”
With his head bowed, Juhwan could not see the Border Count’s face.
However, because he was sensing his surroundings with Wind Magic, he could perceive the Count’s movements as clearly as if he were holding them in his hand.
Mana Detection became more delicate the closer the distance.
No matter what the Count did, Juhwan would know in an instant.
That was why he could feel mana surging within the Border Count’s body right now. He was likely on the verge of attacking. Mana was concentrated in the Count’s arms.
He was strong. This Border Count was undoubtedly strong.
In terms of pure mana, he likely didn’t reach Juhwan’s level. It wasn’t arrogance; there simply wasn’t anyone with more mana than him, or even an equal amount.
However, he sensed a different kind of strength from the man.
It was the aura of an immortal of the battlefield.
He had encountered a man who gave off a similar feeling back on Earth when he stood against a gang. It was the boss of a famous syndicate that had a foothold in Seoul’s entertainment districts.
When he clashed with that man, he had been beaten miserably. He barely managed a draw; if even one of the man’s subordinates had joined in, losing would have been the least of his worries—he likely would have died. He only survived because the gang boss had forbidden his men from interfering.
He felt that same strength from the Border Count. It wasn’t because of mana, but likely due to his sheer spirit. An overwhelming confidence backed the Count.
Juhwan infused mana into his shoulders, arms, and every part of his body. However, he suppressed it as much as possible to keep it from leaking out.
The Border Count probably wouldn’t even realize Juhwan was gathering mana.
Or perhaps, he might sense it by instinct.
Juhwan’s skin tingled as if it might burst at any moment. Holding his breath, he exhaled quietly in a rhythmic cycle. Thump, thump—his heart beat slowly.
‘It’s okay. I can react no matter what happens.’
While still at the inn, he had already entrusted Riji and Dorothy to Oz and Yeonhwa.
Oz would stay by Dorothy’s side, and Yeonhwa would not leave Riji.
Even if the Border Count’s subordinates attacked, or if the Count targeted Riji and Dorothy instead of Juhwan, Oz and Yeonhwa would certainly react.
Juhwan only needed to fight properly to protect them.
Juhwan’s tension rose to the point where he could feel his pulse throbbing.
At a certain moment, as if a taut string had snapped, the Border Count’s body moved.
The mana gathered in the Count’s hand shot toward Juhwan.
A whip-like wind lashed out toward Juhwan’s head.
Hearing short screams erupt from the surroundings, Juhwan released the mana he had been containing. Without moving a muscle, the mana radiated outward from his body in all directions.
Bang! A thunderous sound echoed as the two manas collided. The forces repelled each other. The air between them shattered, exploding outward.
Someone fell back with a scream. Most of the people nearby were likely shaken by the impact.
‘But….’
Only then did Juhwan relax.
Yeonhwa and Oz hadn’t reacted at all. It meant the Border Count had no murderous intent.
If the Count had intended to kill Juhwan even in the slightest, Yeonhwa would have killed the Count instantly. He was sure of it. Even now, Yeonhwa remained motionless, her eyes fixed directly on them.
Had that happened, they likely would have had to flee into the deep mountains, living a life of uncertainty. It was a relief.
‘Phew, I can finally breathe.’
The tension left Juhwan’s posture.
At that moment, a laugh rang out from above him.
The Border Count laughed shortly in a low voice before speaking.
“It seems you aren’t just some fool with mana. You have skill and guts, not to mention patience and judgment. You would have made a fine soldier.”
The Count turned his horse’s head and glanced at Yeonhwa.
“It is well known that the Adventurer’s Guild reveres the Santas. In my territory, we maintain a good relationship with the Guild. I have no intention of trying to force a Santa’s hand.”
As Juhwan looked up, the Border Count chuckled softly.
“From now on, you will find yourself entangled with various nobles. I was the first to learn that a Santa has emerged, but word will soon spread elsewhere. When that happens, you’ll face many nuisances. When it does, use my name. I shall lend you the name of Bern without any price or pressure.”
Before Juhwan could even find the words to reply, the Border Count departed.
It seemed he had come simply to see Juhwan. Without even entering the village, the Count and his subordinates galloped across the rugged land, growing smaller in the distance.
‘What was that all about?’
He had been incredibly tense, so he felt a bit dumbfounded. It would have been a disaster if Yeonhwa or Oz had killed the Border Count. But if he had only come to see what kind of person Juhwan was….
‘Is that Border Count an idiot?’
The guide approached him, letting out a long breath.
“Phew, really, I thought my heart was going to stop. Of course, I didn’t think the Border Count was foolish enough to resort to force, but that was truly shocking.”
The guide smiled with a pale face.
“The Bern Border County is so vast and infested with magic beasts that we cannot manage without the Adventurer’s Guild. Governing the territory with soldiers alone is impossible. Besides, while he does act impulsively like that, the Count is actually one of the better ones. He’s quick to take heads, but he never kills without a reason.”
“….”
Was that considered being one of the better ones?
Juhwan’s expression turned skeptical.
The guide spoke again.
“Among the nobility, there are those who kill their subjects just because they’re in a bad mood. There are also many lords who raise taxes for their own luxury while their people starve. But the Border Count does not engage in such wretched behavior. Taxes are heavy because of military expenses, but he doesn’t torment the people for his own indulgence.”
“….”
“He’s quite decent, as far as nobles go.”
“…But the subordinates must have a hard time. With him wandering around like that.”
“Haha. Well, that’s true. They say he has a bit of a fiery temper, too.”
“….”
He didn’t sound like a decent person at all. If this was the kind of praise he received, the other nobles must be absolute trash.
“I’ll have to be careful when going to other territories.”
“Haha. Not all nobles are that bad.”
The guide laughed as he spoke, but Juhwan couldn’t even manage a smile. If he had accidentally killed the Border Count, his life would have gone straight to hell.
A few of the adventurers who had been knocked back by the aftermath of Juhwan and the Count’s clashing mana were groaning.
While others had already scrambled to their feet, it seemed a few had been injured during the fall. One man was lying on the ground, whimpering as if he had hurt his back.
‘A back injury is serious.’
Juhwan subtly released a bit of healing magic without letting the others notice. Just a tiny amount, barely enough to treat the injury.
The adventurer with the hurt back continued to look miserable. He probably wasn’t in much pain now; he just seemed like the type to exaggerate.
Watching the man with exasperation, Juhwan suddenly turned his gaze toward the carriage. Oz was letting out small, high-pitched cries.
Thump-thump, thump-thump.
Her heart was beating so fast that when she pressed her hand to her chest, she could feel her skin fluttering.
Before they left for this place, Juhwan had made them promise. He had taken an oath from both Riji and Dorothy that they must never break it.
They were never to leave the side of Oz and Yeonhwa.
Riji understood the meaning behind those words. It meant that even if Juhwan fell into danger, they must not impulsively try to save him. It likely also meant that if he died, she should take Yeonhwa and flee.
Even while saying such things wouldn’t happen, Juhwan always decided in advance what to do in the worst-case scenario. For some reason, that seemed so sad to her. It was as if he spoke like someone who had only ever known tragedy.
Juhwan was not a man who talked much about himself, so she didn’t know what kind of life he had led. But if he hadn’t even known where his parents were buried until now, perhaps he had lived a very sorrowful life.
That was why she thought that even in the worst case, she must not die before his eyes. No matter what happened after Juhwan died, she shouldn’t inflict that kind of grief on him.
But human affairs don’t always go as planned. That was why the moment she thought Juhwan was in danger, her body had almost bolted outside instinctively.
This was different from when he dealt with other men. The opponent was a great noble. No matter how strong Juhwan was, he would be killed.
Thinking that, her mind seemed to freeze, even though she knew she wouldn’t be of any help and would only be a hindrance. The only thoughts in her head were that she had to go to Juhwan’s side, that Juhwan was in danger.
The reason she hadn’t burst out of the carriage was because Dorothy had suddenly collapsed.
If not for that, she would have run out. And she might have been injured by the mana explosion between Juhwan and the Count. Just like the adventurers currently rolling on the ground near Juhwan.
‘I’m glad I didn’t.’
But when would she wake up? She was a little worried. Not a lot. Just a little, a very little bit.
Because it was none other than Yeonhwa who had made Dorothy like this.
Earlier, when the Border Count and Juhwan met, Dorothy had woken up almost at the same time as Riji.
Every day back in the mountains, Dorothy had trained with Oz. When Dorothy gave a command, Oz would bend or break something. At first, it was just things like leaves, but later he could bend branches and thin pieces of iron.
Perhaps that experience had given the child confidence. Or maybe she realized that this time was different from when they dealt with other adventurers or villagers.
It seemed Dorothy thought she could save her father if he was in danger. Before, she would only be afraid, but now she felt she had the power to save him….
Dorothy had fearlessly tried to run out while giving orders to Oz. Riji had been truly startled when even Oz tried to leave.
Then, somehow sensing it, Yeonhwa had put Dorothy to sleep. Riji didn’t know if Yeonhwa had been keeping an eye on the situation inside the carriage or if it was because Oz and Yeonhwa were connected. It was strange, considering she shouldn’t have been able to see inside the carriage.
But seeing the small, glowing red pattern appearing on Dorothy’s forehead, it was definitely Yeonhwa’s doing. Oz had looked surprised when he saw it and stopped in his tracks.
Riji quietly pressed her ear to Dorothy’s chest. A small heart went pit-a-pat, and occasionally, a sleepy mumble escaped the girl’s lips.
Perhaps she was having a happy dream. Maybe Yeonhwa had intentionally let her have a good dream. It seemed Rudolphs were truly magical creatures.
Dorothy’s eyelids flickered, and she smiled slightly in her sleep.
Yes, so she wasn’t truly worried, but still.
Beside her, Oz let out a small cry. She didn’t know if he was telling her not to worry, if he was worried himself, or if he was reflecting on his attempt to follow the child out.
“It’s okay,” she told Oz, and as she pressed her ear to the child’s chest once more, the carriage door swung wide open.
Juhwan stood there, looking inside with bright light at his back.
“What happened?”
Juhwan’s eyes locked onto Dorothy.
Ah, he’s worried.
Riji quickly explained the situation.
A red pattern appeared on her forehead, and she seems to be sleeping since she’s mumbling—as she gave her rambling explanation, Juhwan quickly placed his hand on the child’s body. He seemed to be using healing magic.
After a moment, Juhwan exhaled in relief and muttered.
“Honestly, I appreciate her being obedient, but to do it like this… I thought my heart was going to stop.”
He was likely talking about Yeonhwa.
Juhwan spoke so normally that it felt a bit surreal.
A Border Count was an incredibly high-ranking person. To a commoner like Riji, he was someone who lived above the clouds, someone she might not see once in a lifetime. Even if they had the same eyes, nose, mouth, and limbs, he felt like a completely different being.
Long ago, her father said he heard a rumor that gold comes out of the nobles’ droppings. In remote villages, there are people who believe such things, even if they’re half-doubting.
Though she knew better now, Riji also used to think that there might truly be something different about their bodies. She thought that mages and nobles were, for some unknown reason, entirely different beings from commoners like herself.
He had seen such a person right in front of him, spoken to him, and even fought by clashing mana—was Juhwan really alright?
Perhaps Riji’s expression looked too serious. Juhwan suddenly smiled.
“Riji, your face looks scary.”
“…Are you okay?”
“I’m okay.”
After saying that, Juhwan embraced Riji and Dorothy and chuckled softly again. His voice was barely audible.
“Actually, I was a little intimidated.”
“…I was terrified, too.”
As Riji spoke, Juhwan looked at Dorothy’s sleeping face with gentle eyes.
“Was Dorothy the only brave one?”
Perhaps she really was. Recalling Dorothy’s face as she tried to rush out to save her father, Riji rested her head lightly against Juhwan’s chest.
“I don’t think my heart can take much more of this.”
“Phew, me neither.”
Children forget promises the moment they turn around, no matter how sternly they’re made. She couldn’t say much this time, either….
Together, the two of them let out another long sigh.
