Amethyst and Count Glacia held each other while panting. âI was wrong.â
Count Glacia was finally able to spit something out.
âAbout what?â
âAbout your skill. Considering what I saw today, you may not be advanced yet but you are not a beginner either.
I should be thankful for that. It was definitely the result of his tough training sessions.
âItâs all thanks to Alec. Anyways, your skills are very good.â
âI kept training even after I had acquired the title. I was a high knight.â
âReally?â
âYes.â
Amethsyt nodded. It was believable after all this. The ash-colored knights left and the ones that escorted people the stream started to come back and clean up.
After that, Alexcentâs horse was seen in the horizon. He jumped off and quickly embraced his wife. She could tell how fast he came as he was alone.
âSorry,â he whispered. Amethyst patted him as he buried his face into her neck while his shoulders slouched.
âEverythingâs ok now. Everyoneâs ok.â
He believed her and yet he was worried at a possible uncertain outcome. He had hurried so much that he used attack magic to destroy the demons.
Despite knowing that she was okay, he disparaged himself for letting her fight alone. He was afraid that she would resent him for not coming to save her.
âIâm sorry for leaving you alone.â
âNot at all. You were also in danger. And you should praise me instead.â
âPraise you?â
âYes. I destroyed the demons! Of course, Count Glacia and the ash coloured knights helped. But isnât this pretty good?â
âYouâre really something.â
Alexcent hugged Amethyst again. And then kissed her on the lips.
âHm, my lord.â Count Glacia coughed while trying not to look. The knights around them also tried to give the couple some privacy.
Alexcent smiled at her while holding her tightly. âGood job.â
âThank you,â Amethyst beamed at him.
âThe hunting tournament is over with this.â
âPardon me?â Count Glacia was surprised as the hunting tournament that usually went on for days ended in a single day.
âYes. Since you killed all of them with magic. It should be quiet for a while.â
Gen added. Then he bowed politely to Amethyst. âI was amazed by your skill.â
âThank you.â
âWeâll be counting on you from on.â
She didnât know how to react to Gen. Then she excitedly perked up and asked, âBy the way, how can you use magic? Didnât you say you promised nobles to use it only during war?â
Amethyst had remembered the time when he received bunch of complaints for using magic.
âItâs ok.â
âWhat do you mean?â
âWeâre deep in the woods so they wouldnât know, and there arenât anyone here that would complain about using magic here. We trust each other quite a lot.â
âEh?â
âSo donât worry about it.â
Alexcent bumped his forehead into hers.
âThatâs right! We mightâve died if it wasnât for the duke.â
âOf course, we were desperate. Who would object to Our Lord saving us?â
âIf they knew how much the demons have populated suddenly, no one would object. If it wasnât for the duke, no one wouldâve been able to stop them.ân/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
The masters that followed Alexcent twinkled their eyes at the word trust and defended him.
It had become the shortest hunting tournament since the annual festival, but it ended up with a bit of change in their relationship.
***
The Duke Skadâs familyâs annual festival was over.
It was an annual festival that everyone was proud of. They promised to communicate regarding the public education facility establishment through the magical message pigeon.
Everyone was sad to each other go.
They all said goodbyes in front of the duke mansion. Count Glacia stood in front of Amethyst first. âIâm looking forward to your skill improving. Donât you dare stop training.â
She extended her hand and Amethyst grabbed it for a handshake.
Lupes said his goodbye to the Skad couple and escorted Count Glacia up the carriage.
Then Countess Citri hugged Amethyst like earlier days. âMaâam, Iâll miss you.â
âPlease take care. Make sure to let me know the good news.â
âOf course!â Amethystâs eyes became teary at the farrewells.
And she said to everyone. âPlease visit us even if it isnât for the annual festival. Youâre always welcome.â
âYes, we will.â The noble ladies smiled brightly and got on their carriage. Even while the carriage was disappearing, Amethyst stood there for a while, and Alexcent stood by her without a word.
While the servants were wrapping up the festivities, Amethyst received an unexpected letter.
***
The letters that were sent to Amethyst were stacked neatly on her desk.
Lunia always put red strings on the ones Amethyst must check, blue strings on the ones she could disregard, and yellow strings on the ones she wasnât sure where it came from.
Amethyst checked the letters after her morning business. She checked the yellow string letters that she wouldnât have looked at normally.
The envelope that said âTo Carolâ was from Hutchmoon.
âItâs yours, right? Isnât Carol the name you used before?â
âYes, it is.â
âBut, Hutchmoon? Isnât that the end of the Empire?â
Amethyst shrugged at Luniaâs words and tore open the envelope. She slowly read the letter.
âCan I ask you what it is?â
Lunia carefully asked as Amethyst frowned slightly.
âItâs from a friend.â
âAnd?â
âIt says she got divorced.â
âOhâ¦. How unfortunate.â
âIt is.â
I thought Pauline was loved by her husbandâ¦. Did something terrible happen? Or did they have a problem that I donât know about. So thatâs why she couldnât tell me.