Chapter 26
Chapter 26
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"There are two ships."
The Cartiel person and Mirta wouldn't be using separate rooms, let alone separate ships.
I raised my eyebrows.
—Whoosh!
"Huh?"
One of the two ships caught fire.
...What could suddenly cause a fire in the middle of the sea?
Meanwhile, the water I was controlling quickly steered our ship towards the deserted island.
And as the deserted island got closer, I almost forgot to slow down because of the sight before me.
It was because someone I didn't expect to see was standing there.
"...Dielo?"
It was Dielo.
Wearing a pure white shirt and jet-black uniform pants.
His uniform jacket was gone, probably taken off because it was too hot.
He stood there, tilting the beret in his left hand to shield his eyes from the sunlight.
He lightly held a longsword in one hand.
And on that sword, something red was dripping.
"..."
I saw Dielo turn to look at me.
Was it because he had crossed the deep sea, or was it because red blood was splattered on his cheek?
His pale eyes looked unusually deep and dark.
I couldn't take my eyes off his cheek and the sword.
"...Dielo?"
Holding the sword, he slowly approached me.
As I got off the ship and walked onto the sandy beach, his appearance became clearer.
The one he was leaving behind was definitely Mirta.
Mirta was already dead.
It became clear who Dielo's sword had cut down.
And next to Mirta, a stranger was lying on the ground.
He didn't seem to be breathing anymore, and he looked like a Cartiel person.
"..."
I looked at them and then back at Dielo.
His eyes, seen up close, looked different from usual.
Above all, he also seemed not to have expected to meet me here.
"...How did you get all the way here?"
His voice was a little lower than usual.
I couldn't take my eyes off the blood splattered on his cheek as I replied.
"I heard a report from your office that Mirta's contract was burning... But."
How could Dielo be here?
Wasn't he supposed to be at sea?
Did he come immediately after hearing the news?
Well, if he had gone out to sea, it wouldn't have been difficult to catch up with Mirta by sea.
But...
I couldn't continue speaking.
The sight of him holding a sword was unfamiliar to me.
But it looked so natural on him.
"...Ah."
He noticed that my gaze had returned to Mirta, and he put on the beret that he had been tilting to shield the sunlight.
Then, he unfolded a handkerchief and covered my eyes.
I didn't know if he knew that there were a few drops of blood on the edge of that pure white handkerchief.
"I showed you an unpleasant sight, Krua."
I felt warmth through the handkerchief covering my eyes.
No, it might have been heat.
Dielo, who had been silent for a moment, said again.
"I didn't expect Krua to come."
"I didn't expect to see Dielo here either."
The answer that was about to pop out was blocked.
To be exact, I didn't expect to see this kind of sight.
Especially not in person.
Of course, he was the Duke, and he was the one who signed that brutal contract, so I thought this could happen.
But seeing it in person was much more...
"..."
Then Dielo took a step towards me and gently embraced me.
He put just enough strength to not irritate the bruised area and slightly turned my body to the side.
So that Mirta wouldn't be immediately visible.
And he removed the handkerchief from my eyes.
The first thing that caught my eye in the cleared vision was Dielo's distorted face.
"Fulfilling a contract is a sad thing. It's something you write hoping it won't be broken."
A look of pity appeared on Dielo's face.
But the blood droplets didn't disappear.
"—Thank you for deliberately coming to find me like this, Krua."
He cupped my cheek with the hand holding the handkerchief.
"Mirta's matter is a matter for Argenta."
The seawater that had splashed on my cheek was wiped away by his fingertips.
He gave a faint smile.
"I'm sorry for showing you such a rough sight."
I was about to get confused as to whether that sight was referring to Mirta's appearance or Dielo's own appearance.
"Krua."
Then he called my name in a whisper.
It was a composed voice.
A calm voice that didn't sound like he had just killed someone.
"Yes."
At my answer, he tilted his head slightly.
"Krua also said you would leave this place, right?"
His tone was the same as usual.
But if I turned my gaze even slightly, Mirta would be there.
...Her life taken by his sword.
Punishing a traitor is a natural thing.
It was something that Dielo Argenta, the Duke of Argenta, should do, and it was clearly stated in the contract.
Natural, it was a natural thing, but...
Was Dielo Argenta this kind of person?
"...I did."
I answered slowly.
"I won't go around talking about Argenta like that."
I wouldn't have an unpleasant encounter with him.
I looked straight into his eyes.
Dielo listened to my words and suddenly said.
"Just stay, Krua."
"Yes?"
He smiled brightly.
"You've come to know about Argenta, haven't you? Our Argenta, which moves differently from other families."
He held out his hand.
"You belong in Argenta, Krua."
—Drip.
At that moment, the blood that had been on the tip of his sword fell and stained the sand.
The red light quickly disappeared into the sand, hiding its traces as if a drop of water had fallen.
"Not only me, but many Argenta want Krua."
Dielo's gentle words continued.
"So please, become an Argenta."
"That's—"
It was already a finished story.
No, it was a story that didn't even need to be started.
When the real Pero appears, I won't be the Duchess of Argenta anymore.
Furthermore, in order for Dielo to properly awaken and defeat Alloze, I shouldn't interfere with the relationship between the real Pero and him.
But Dielo gently interrupted my words.
"I'll persuade Pero well."
The word persuasion sounded particularly out of place.
Dielo smiled.
"I trust Krua. Because Krua is also someone who knows the rules of Argenta."
Only one saying came to mind at his words.
"...Do, or do not."
At my words, Dielo smiled prettily again.
"Yes, Krua."
As if it was the correct answer. He held out his hand to me.
"Will you become an Argenta?"
Of course, I can't go back to Alloze.
I don't intend to go back either.
Becoming an Argenta isn't a bad choice either.
...If he can properly awaken.
"...Dielo."
Just as I was about to say something, Dielo continued in a gentle voice.
"Pero's opinion doesn't matter, Krua."
His words continued.
"I can make it not matter, Krua."
A strange word was added in the brief silence.
It was the moment I slightly opened my mouth.
Dielo's fingertips lightly touched my hand.
"Will you become an Argenta, or..."
His blue eyes were gently covered by his sadly distorted eyes.
The shadow cast by his eyelashes made his blue eyes look dark.
"Will you make me sad?"
