Ch#190
190
His brow contorted. Every single word she spat out felt like it was gouging out his insides.
“Why do you want a child so badly?”
Whether it was an unexpected question or not, a momentary look of bewilderment washed over her face. The woman, who had been staring at him with vacant eyes, lowered her lashes and avoided the subject.
“……Does there have to be a reason? It’s only natural for a married woman to want a child.”
Barkas gripped her chin and looked straight into her darkly sunken eyes.
“Have you forgotten all the suffering you endured throughout your pregnancy? You couldn’t even sit or lie down properly because of the pain, and you suffered for months.”
“……It wasn’t that bad. It was bearable.”
She insisted stubbornly.
He felt a violent twisting in his gut and inhaled the cold air deep into his lungs.
Even now, the image of her suffering was vivid before his eyes. The sight of her pouring out blood and tears before collapsing limp like a corpse was as fresh as if it had happened yesterday.
And what about after that? Had she not completely lost her mind from the grief of losing the child? She had only just managed to recover her body and mind, and now she wanted to repeat that ordeal?
He spoke coldly, as if it weren’t even worth considering.
“No matter what you say, it is useless. My mind will not change.”
At that firm declaration, her brightly glowing face turned eerily calm. Staring at him with eyes shrouded in deep shadows, the woman exhaled in a ghost-like voice.
“Even if I desperately wish for it?”
His lips tightened into a hard line. The sensation of something sharp rummaging through his insides grew more intense. Ignoring it with effort, he spoke calmly.
“Even if you wish for it.”
Her face froze even colder. Instinctively reaching for her bloodless cheek, Barkas hesitated and then clenched his fist.
He knew instinctively. She would no longer allow him to touch her.
As expected, Talia twisted her head away to avoid his touch and sent him a gaze as cold as a dagger.
“Then there’s no reason for me to be like this with you. If you won’t give me what I want, get out of this room right now.”
The sharp voice lashed his cheek like a whip. He let his gaze rest briefly on her slightly trembling lips before slowly standing up.
Watching him with a cold glare, Talia lay back down on the bed and pulled the duvet over her head.
Swallowing a heavy sigh, Barkas soon turned around. Then, with a calm stride, he quietly left the room.
The rain showed no sign of stopping for several days.
Avoiding the intermittent storms, the citizens of Kalmor naturally refrained from going out, and the marketplaces and squares that would normally be bustling were empty.
This was a welcome situation for the mounted warriors of the Grand Duchy, who were wary of information leaking to the Zram people. Thanks to the early rainy season acting as a cloak of concealment, they were able to assemble their forces near the Armund Forest without drawing any attention.
If this heavy rain continued for a few more days, they would be able to raid the raiders’ base without the information that the Grand Duchy had formed a subjugation force leaking to the enemy.
“The Lord of Dorkan is waiting at Brinak and will join the main force on the appointed day.”
“What is the movement of the lords in the east-central region?”
“There has been no word since Sir Daren replied that he would quickly conduct a background investigation.”
Beyroff, who was reporting in a calm manner, added with a thoughtful expression.
“Since a hasty search might only provoke a backlash from the lords, it seems Sir Daren is also proceeding with the investigation very cautiously.”
Barkas, who had been staring silently at the map spread out on the desk, leaned back in his chair and pressed the bridge of his nose.
“Tell him not to drag it out too long, as those who joined the traitors might destroy all the evidence.”
“I will send a messenger pigeon immediately.”
Beyroff replied in a calm tone and signaled to the squire waiting at the door. The young man, understanding the silent instruction, immediately left the meeting room.
Barkas pushed the map aside and carefully scanned the reports newly compiled by the informants.
Preparations for the subjugation were proceeding smoothly. The lords, who had been plagued by the Zram raiders for many years, readily expressed their intention to participate in the campaign, and some devout followers of the Imperial Church even contributed supplies from their private funds. Thanks to this, they were able to secure sufficient military strength without mobilizing their primary forces.
“By tomorrow dawn, we’ll be able to pull out this aching tooth.”
“Do you intend to arrest the heretics all at once as well?”
Lucas, who had been sitting quietly at the end of the meeting room table, spoke up. Barkas nodded with an indifferent face.
“Once the raiders are wiped out, there’s no reason to leave them be any longer. As soon as we set out on the expedition, arrest everyone on the list of heretics. There are no exceptions.”
“……I have something urgent to tell you regarding that matter.”
Lucas opened his lips cautiously.
“The Church has demanded that they be allowed to secure the custody of the apostates themselves.”
Barkas narrowed his brows.
“I appreciate the offer, but it’s not an amount of people the Eastern Church’s forces can handle. Reply that we will arrest them in the Grand Duchy and then place them before the tribunal presided over by the Grand Priest.”
“That is…… the Central Church has dispatched Holy Knights.”
Barkas, who was picking up the next report, paused and turned toward him. Lucas continued, ruffling the back of his hair.
“At dawn today, a large number of knights carrying letters bearing the seal of the Central Church entered Kalmor. It seems word leaked out from the Eastern Church.”
Barkas’s face hardened. The contents of the reports submitted by the inquisitors flashed through his mind.
He had extracted a promise from the Grand Priest to suppress the false rumors regarding Talia, but it was difficult to trust him completely. If that priest broke his promise and spoke about the suspicions of heresy surrounding Talia, it could become difficult to protect her.
Hadn’t the Central Church always viewed the ‘bastard princess’ as a thorn in their side? They would use any means necessary to put Talia on the heresy tribunal, if only to tarnish Senebier’s name.
Barkas set down the report he was holding as if throwing it and stood up.
“I shall go and speak with them myself.”
He then immediately left the meeting room.
Rain was still pouring from the sky. Donning the black raincoat handed to him by a servant, Barkas led Torque out of the stables.
The horse was extremely agitated due to the fiercely howling wind and rain. After soothing Torque and heading out of Raedgo Castle, Barkas immediately crossed the moat and traversed the square.
It took only about ten minutes to reach the Great Cathedral. Normally, it would have taken twice as long, but thanks to the empty streets, he was able to cross half the city in an instant.
“Grand Duke! What brings you all the way here without notice in this foul weather……!”
As he entered the courtyard of the Great Cathedral, a priest who recognized him ran out from the cloister. Barkas jumped down from his saddle and looked toward the temporary stable located at the end of the garden.
The cramped shed was packed with massive warhorses. There appeared to be at least fifteen of them.
He asked in a dry tone.
“I have come to see the Grand Priest.”
“The Grand Priest is in the prayer room. If you would dry yourself in the drawing room for a moment, I will immediately send word…….”
“No need. I shall wait inside the chapel.”
He strode past the priest and into the massive stone building. Passing through the grand arched entrance, the sight of a wide corridor with flickering lights unfolded before him.
He inhaled the characteristically cool and heavy air of the cathedral as he crossed the empty hall. Then, he stopped in his tracks when he spotted a large shadow standing before the chapel altar.
A tall man clad in a dark gray robe was looking up at the carvings etched into the chapel walls with his head tilted back.
Sensing a powerful force from that unwavering back, Barkas intentionally made the sound of footsteps.
At that, the large man turned back toward him over his shoulder.
