Chapter 152

“Thank you, Yelena.”

“For what?”

“You sacrificed yourself…”

“I should be thanking you, Uncle.” Yelena alarmingly cut the marquis off as soon as the word “sacrifice” came out.

“Thanks to you, Uncle, I’m living a happy married life with my beloved husband.”

“…”

“I’m truly grateful.”

Yelena smiled silently.

Marquis Linden wasn’t a tactless person. He cleared his throat and then smiled with Yelena.

“That’s good. I was worried since you moved so far from home, but it looks like life at the ducal castle suits you.”

“Of course. But why are you bringing this up again as if it isn’t old news?”

“Ah, about that…”

Marquis Linden’s face lit up. He looked happy.

“Not so long ago, we were able to successfully excavate our first relic.”

“Relic?”

“Indeed. Ah, I haven’t told you about the business.”

The thing Marquis Linden had been greedy enough to think of selling off his own daughter Mielle for was none other than an ancient relic mine.

Duke Mayhard owned the mine. Since the mine was close to the capital, he hired someone else to be in charge of the excavation and restoration of the relics.

‘Aha, that’s why…’

Yelena gave a mental nod. She had been curious as to why the marquis had been ready to force Mielle into a marriage. It wasn’t like he needed the money.

‘I can see why he would do that for relics. It had always been his dream…’

If the marquis succeeded to safely excavate and restore ancient relics, the gains he’d secure would not only be financial.

Honor.

The achievement of restoring the relics’ abilities would create a name for himself to be remembered for generations to come.

But it was also just something Marquis Linden had always hoped to accomplish.

“Congratulations. What kind of relic is it?”

“It’s still undergoing examination. I’m not completely sure, but I think it might be a weapon…”

“A weapon?”

“Do you want to take a look? It’s a short carriage ride away.”

“That’s okay.”

Unlike Marquis Linden, Yelena wasn’t very interested in relics and, even more so, if they were tools used in past wars.

Marquis Linden seemed disappointed about losing the chance to show off the relic, but he didn’t ask twice.

***

Yelena left the marquis estate for home by horse carriage. It wasn’t a long trip, so she didn’t feel the need to use Sidrion.

Instead, Sidrion sat with her in the carriage as her guard, along with the three knights.

Yelena, who had been looking out the carriage window, suddenly turned her head and spoke.

“Does anyone like tarts?”

There was a tart shop in the capital that Yelena used to visit regularly. Edward had even teased her on her wedding day, asking her what she would do now that she could no longer go to the tart shop.

The shop happened to be along the way back home.

Thomas furtively answered Yelena’s question with his own.

“Do you like tarts, Madam?”

“Yes, I do.”

At her reply, the three knights quickly blurted out their responses.

“Then I like tarts too.”

“Me too.”

“I love tarts.”

Sidrion quietly watched as this exchange, where such a thing as independent thought did not exist, unfolded. He made eye contact with Yelena. He still hadn’t given his answer.

The man shrugged. “Does my preference matter?”

“Of course it doesn’t. Coachman, take us to the dessert shop I used to always go to.”

“Understood.”

The coachman skillfully shifted the carriage’s direction.

But the carriage did not move for long.

Yelena was smiling at the thought of visiting the shop after a long time when the carriage came to an abrupt stop.

“Hm?”

The scenery outside the carriage window was different from what Yelena remembered.

‘Did the shop move locations?’ Yelena thought to herself. Then, she heard the coachman’s voice.

“Um, Young Miss…”

“What? Is there a problem?”

“There’s a carriage in front of us, but…”

Before the coachman could even finish speaking, a strange voice spoke. The speaker sounded decrepit.

Upon seeing the attire of the man who approached the carriage window, Yelena instantly knew who he was.

“You’re a priest.”

The man was wearing priest attire belonging to the temple. He looked to be middle-aged or elderly.

The man laughed mildly.

“Yes. I am Bekah, a servant of the god Ior. God bless you, Young Lady.”

“Please call me Madam, not Young Lady. God bless you too, Mr. Priest. But what’s the matter?”

“It’s just that… Our carriage cannot move because there’s a problem with one of the wheels.”

Yelena extended her neck to look out the window.

It was true. The white horse carriage that was blocking the road seemed to be stuck in place.

“It looks like the wheel fell out.”

Yelena wasn’t sure of the exact details, but that’s what it looked like to her.

The priest nodded.

“Fortunately, it isn’t broken, so I think it just needs to be fastened again. But as you can see, we are but frail priests, so we are shorthanded and in a pinch.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om