Chapter 13: Chapter 13

Chapter 13

“Your Grace was wielding your sword properly before the Duchess came, but you suddenly acted that way. That’s why I couldn’t respond right then.”

“Whether she knows it or not, what does that have to do with the situation.”

“It doesn’t matter. But because of you, Duke, the Madam hates me.”

I held my breath and waited for Bleon’s answer. But again McCain’s voice was heard.

“I’m alright with turning away from the post of Knight Commander, but what should I do now that I am hated by the Duchess? If Your Grace can reveal the truth and clear up this misunderstanding, I will gladly give up on the post and go back.”

“…What are you saying?”

Bleon’s voice was very quiet. As I first heard Bleon’s voice sound like this, I wondered if the Bleon I knew before this was truly him.

“She was livid. She thinks I did something bad to a young person.”

Contrary to feeling Bleon’s intense emotions, McCain still maintained a relaxed attitude.

“…What’s with you? What the hell are you trying to do with my wife?”

“That’s not the point. I am just afraid that the Madam will brand me as a strange person.”

“Then why are you doing this to someone else’s wife?”

“I don’t think I am obligated to tell you that.”

Silence arose again between the two.

“…Really?”

However, the silence was broken, and as though he realized something, Bleon’s tone suddenly changed. He laughed sardonically.

“Even so, you can’t do anything.”

‘What do you mean McCain can’t?’

I had no idea what the two of them were talking about.

“You will see.”

McCain also suddenly stopped talking formally to Bleon. And his voice lost his tone of respect.

“This place, which has been closed for 10 years, has finally opened. I’ve been waiting.”

After those words, the two remained silent for a while. I stopped eavesdropping and went back to my room.

‘What the hell are they talking about?’

Why were these two talking about incomprehensible things like that?

I told Bleon to tell McCain that we would not hire him as a commander, but he was saying strange things.

‘Are those two acquaintances by the way?’

And what was he waiting for? After hearing that brief conversation, I had no clue what they were talking about.

But as I was lost in thought, Bleon returned. I looked at him with meaningful eyes. However, the man with the voice and attitude from before disappeared. Only the Bleon I knew remained.

“What’s wrong… Wife?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Bleon strode closer to me.

“How did it go?”

“…….”

He paused for a moment and looked at me intently.

“…I decided to hire him.”

“What? Why? You said you didn’t like him.”

At the absurd conclusion, I put on a puzzled expression.

“I don’t think his skills are bad, and I think he’ll be useful in many ways.”

“Then what about learning swordsmanship? Are you going to do that too?”

“…Yes.”

Did I dream about what happened then? Did I hear it wrong?

I looked at him with a bewildered expression. Bleon’s words contradicted the conversation I had just heard just now.

“…Wife.”

Bleon came in front of me and he tried to hold me in his arms. I felt a strange sense of incongruity, and so I pushed his chest away with my palm and quickly got out of his reach.

“…Wife?

Bleon looked at me with a shocked face, his body frozen.

“Why…?”

“Are you hiding something from me?”

“What?”

I pretended not to know what I had heard and gave him a chance to confide in me.

“It’s weird no matter how you think about it.”

“What is strange…?”

“I don’t understand why you suddenly decided to give him that job when you told me you don’t like him?”

“Because that man is good…”

“Is it just because of his skills?”

Apparently, Bleon had no intention of telling me the truth. However, I did not intend let this situation pass without confirming it.

“I heard it earlier.”

“Yes?”

“I heard you two talking.”

Bleon’s eyes tinged with embarrassment at my words.

“What were you two talking about?”

“…Did you hear that?”

“Hm.”

“Since which part?”

“Is that important? What matters now is that you are lying to me.”

I don’t know what Bleon was trying to hide, but he was lying to me.

“That’s not it, Wife…!”

“Bleon, I believed in you…”

“Wife. That’s not it… Please listen to me.”

I’ve always thought that Bleon was as innocent as a child. Of course, it was not good for a 20-year-old young man to be so child-like, but Astell was the one who made him that way.

I was trying to take responsibility because of that, so I’d been doing various things for him. Of course, it was also a matter of my survival, but I genuinely felt sorry for him, so it made me want to care for Bleon even more.

But this is what I get in return for thinking of him that way.

While overhearing their conversation earlier, I believed that if it was the good and obedient Bleon, he would come and tell me soon. He didn’t spend a lot of time with me, but he was very good at answering and doing what he’s told, never offending me. It’s worrying that he’s trying to deceive me.

“Then what is it?”

I treated him with a cold attitude.

“WIfe…”

Bleon was crying.

“Don’t drag around and explain it so I can understand.”

‘Wow, I’m really like Astell right now.’

Whenever Bleon listened well to her, Astell would praise him and tell him he’s sweet and adorable. But if she was offended or if she was in a bad mood, she would lash out at him.

Of course, now that Astell wasn’t here, I wouldn’t verbally abuse him. But in any case, words that I usually never said were being spewed out. I was surprised by myself too, but my composure soon returned as I wore a firm expression on my face.

“Wi… fe…?”

Bleon, likewise, was surprised by my harsh words and actions after not seeing me like this for a long time. His pupils shook violently as he called me with a trembling voice.

“It’s not something that can be solved by crying. So explain properly.”

I didn’t want to forgive Bleon if he didn’t think I was serious. After giving him one chance, he already blew it away. Still, I was giving him one last chance to tell the truth, considering what he had done to me.

But my attitude frightened him more than I expected. Bleon hurriedly knelt in front of me. Then he grabbed my leg and started crying and begging for forgiveness.

“Sorry… Wife, huuh. please forgive me…”

But even with Bleon’s appearance, I was still not relieved, so I did not respond to his words.

“Please, I won’t do it again in the future, so please don’t throw me away… huhuuk…”

Bleon was almost weeping as if he was sure that I would now abandon him. I frowned slightly, pondering what to do, and then opened my lips to speak.

“Stop crying and explain.”

“Huuhuu, huft…”

When I told him not to cry, he tried to stop, but Bleon continued sniffling.

‘Why do you lie about things you can’t even properly fix?’

Bleon cried so forlornly, repeating that he made a mistake. My heart was being torn down.

“Bleon. Get up.”

I told him to get up first. But still holding my leg, he seemed unwilling to get up.

“Now.”

When I asked him to get up again, Bleon got up slowly. His face was full of tears.

“Come here.”

I grabbed his hand and led him to the sofa, then sat him down.

I sat down next to him.

“Stop crying.”

I pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the tears from his face, telling him to stop. However, tears continued to flow down from his eyes.

“Are you going to keep crying?”

A slightly softer tone than before came out of my lips. After that, Bleon seemed to have calmed down a bit as he sensed this. After waiting a little longer, Bleon’s tears almost stopped, with only a few sobs now and again. I comforted him by stroking his hair.

“Then why did you lie? Don’t you know that it’s something I don’t like?”

“…I know…… Huukk…”

“Hush now.”

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