Chapter 87

***

“…Yes, kind of.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

“I don’t think so. It’s just, it’s all confusing…”

Catalina grabbed Amarion’s hand.

“I care about you and love you, Amarion.”

“…”

“Your good heart and responsibility, your spirit of sacrifice and your righteous heart. All of that is precious in this day and age. I know.”

Catalina stared straight into her eyes.

“Don’t doubt your decision. If that’s what you really want, that’s the answer.”

“…Yes.”

Amarion nodded quietly.

Catalina added lightly.

“Please contact me if you go to Amari. I’ll help you with money or people, no matter what it takes.”

Amarion opened her eyes wide.

“You don’t have to! I already owe you. The North is a difficult place for people to come and go, and it costs-”

“Cataleons are never in debt, Amarion.”

Catalina said softly.

Suddenly Amarion remembered the family motto she had heard before. ‘A Cataleon will repay favor and resentment tenfold.’ It was their family principle to not leave behind debt.

“You’re our benefactor who took care of our people and healed us. And I’m a person who pays off her debts quickly.”

Catalina laughed. She was seriously the heir to the richest family on the continent.

“Give me a chance to repay your kindness. You get it, yes?”

Amarion bit her lip and nodded.

“…Thank you.”

She saw off Catalina’s carriage, and watched it depart until it was a tiny dot on the horizon.

＊ ＊ ＊

After the guests left, the castle quickly became quiet. The maids noticed that Amarion was tired and left her alone. She sat down on the sofa in the hostess’ room.

‘What I really want…’

Actually, what she wanted was to live comfortably in Morte.

Celebrate the successful completion of the banquet, have tea time with her maids, and spar with the knights as promised.

She wanted to tease Leonard, who had not been seen in the castle since he was with Julianna, help Julianna move to Morte, and help Mary and the other maids do what they wanted to do.

As Victor said, it would be nice to visit the Capital together. Sumona said that she would wait for her there. For the first time in her life, the winter would not be cold.

However…

Amarion bit her lip.

Something kept scratching her heart like a thorn. No matter how terrifying the cold was there, and no matter how starving and agonizing wielding a sword every day was, Amari was her land.

Lovely and resentful, her land.

Life here was so beautiful that she was hesitating until the last minute.

She finally made a decision.

She rang the bell and called Mary.

“Can you call Diederick?”

“Yes, Madame.”

Mary bowed her head and disappeared.

Diederick arrived quickly. He looked perfect as always, but there was clear fatigue around his eyes. No matter how capable he was, it must have been difficult to deal with hundreds of guests for several days.

It was sad to think that her request would cause him more agony, but…

Amarion sighed briefly and opened her mouth.

“Diederick, I have a favor to ask you.”

“Give me your orders, Madame.”

Diederick bowed his head immediately. Amarion clenched her fists and spoke.

“Can you help me get out of the castle without Victor’s knowledge?”

Diederick flinched slightly. He asked politely without raising his head.

“With all due respect, may I ask why?”

Amarion swallowed.

If it was Diederick, of course, he deserved to know the answer.

He had previously offered to help her get out of the castle, but back then she was confined. Everyone in the castle, even Catalina, believed that she was locked up, so Diederick must have thought so. So he said he would let her escape even if he had to avoid his master’s eyes.

But now there was no reason for that. Her relationship with Victor was better than ever and she could go out whenever she wanted. She even promised to go on a trip with him. And yet, when she said she was going to sneak out of the castle, he paused.

Amarion spoke frankly.

“I want to go to Amari.”

“If it’s Amari-”

“It is my hometown. Rumors are circulating that it has been overrun by monsters. I’m still not sure if that’s true, but…”

She bit her lip.

“I’m the heir to that land and I’m responsible for it. The North is an absurdly dangerous place, so I can’t leave it to others. I want to go and check it out myself.”

She stared at the old butler silently.

“And Victor would not allow such a dangerous journey.”

Diederick was speechless. The old butler’s face was pale. He and Amarion knew how tightly Victor was holding on to her. So it hurt even more.

“I don’t… I don’t want to make him sad. But I have no choice but to go. Even if he comes to resent me.”

Her heart ached just saying those words.

Still, she couldn’t help it. She had a duty to protect Amari, which took precedence over all else. It seemed that if she didn’t go right away, she wouldn’t be able to get rid of the creeping feeling in her chest.

But the journey would be very long and dangerous. She couldn’t convince Victor.

Diederick thought for a long time, then nodded his head.

“…All right. These days, the border between the Empire and the kingdom is closed, is there any way to cross it?”

“Yes, I prepared it separately.”

“Then come out the back door at dawn tomorrow. I’ll have your luggage ready.”

The butler responded faithfully.

Amarion suppressed her trembling and nodded her head.

“Thank you, Diederick.”

＊ ＊ ＊

The evening was quiet. It was because there were no guests, just Amarion and Victor.

Normally she would have been happy, but she trudged through the day with worry and fatigue. She could sense Victor was worried about her, but she couldn’t lift her head. Just looking at him made her heart ache. Guilt swelled in her stomach.

In the end, she quickly finished her meal and headed to the bedroom. After she bathed, Mary brought her a letter.

“Madame, this is a letter from you.”

Amarion hurriedly opened the letter.

She thought it would take at least a day to get a reply.

There was only one line written.

[Okay. I’ll wait for you at the appointed place.]

She shut her mouth and threw the paper into the bedroom fireplace. Then she forced a smile.

“Thank you. Go back and rest.”

“Yes. Have a good night, Madame.”

Mary smiled and left the room.

Amarion’s heart grew heavier.

If she disappeared, that child would be very surprised. She wished she could tell Mary as well…

She hoped Diederick would handle the situation properly.

Amarion sat down on the bed with a short sigh. Then she opened the third volume of , which was coming to an end.

From tomorrow onwards, she would not be able to read, so she was going to finish this novel today.

Dordophin, who had become suspicious of his lady Flamberge, finally reunited with her in the tower.

[So, the wandering knight Dordophin arrived at the tower of Duchess Flamberge.]

She was surprised as she looked at the illustrations.

Unlike the previous illustrations, which were funny and wild, these were extremely detailed. Dordophin also had a very serious expression.

Even the text became heavy.

[Dordophin climbed the tower, deep in thought. He knew that his Lady was overly harsh. She demanded terrible things that he could not get without risking his life. It was because of the chivalry rooted in him that Dordofin followed all those orders.

When a Lady commands, a knight follows. That was the first principle of chivalry.]

Amarion quietly turned the page.

[However, Flamberge soon issued an order that confronted chivalry head-on. Asking him to kill her own father was a command that would shake even the most loyal knight.

Flamberge’s father was a very kind man. He was a respected lord, an honorable nobleman, and a father who loved his daughter very much. He asked Dordophin about Flamberge’s well-being countless times. Even though he was a wizard who could kill people in an instant, his daughter was a fragile flower in his eyes.

Hearing that she was doing well, the Grand Duke shed tears of relief. Dordophin found no reason to kill him.

So he decided to ask Flamberge directly.]

The bedroom door opened.

“Marion?”

Victor, wearing a black robe, came in and smiled at her.

***

New Kofi shop updated till chapter 96.

***

Hi guys, as you know we are a free-to-read website and we only survive on ads. However, ads are not able to help us much longer and we are on the verge of disbanding. If you like what we do and have any spare, please consider supporting us to keep us alive.