Cardinal’s invitation to dinner was actually unscheduled. The sudden preparation of the dinner was due to the news that flew into Duham Palace hours ago.
“There’s chaos in the South!”
The news that Dame Lena beating the southern knights was unquestionably delivered to Duham Palace and the northern knights there.
The chatty boy priest told the story of the outside to the northerners. Ruvid snorted at the unconventional story and the knights shook their heads.
Marquis Rubel smiled quietly a step away. Until Klavis approached and whispered to him in secret.
“Were you involved?”
The Cardinal lowered his voice and asked, and the question made the Marquis somewhat tired.
This man had too much sense.
The Marquis sighed at the Cardinal’s insight. Then, he smiled lightly, realizing that it was useless to look around for no reason.
“It’s necessary and inevitable.”
“You’re really…”
At the poet of the Marquis, Klavis shook his head playfully.
The southern part of the country, which had just ended the war, was creaking over a number of problems. The aristocrats who had their sons taken away due to the conquest of the tomb were also quite discontent. Some of them wanted to transfer to the North, leaving the South behind.
So Marquis Rubel ordered a person to encourage one of them. And when there’s an affair, he put his hand to spread sensational rumors.
“It’s not just for the purpose of a smear.”
Klavis muttered as if he knew all the insides of the Marquis, and soon smiled and asked back.
“Are you going to kill your daughter again?”
The expedition was just around the corner, but disrupting the knights’ union and solidarity meant that Lena would be isolated. If so, then the purpose was obvious.
The Marquis, once again, looked at him for a moment.
‘Are you going to oppose it?’
The Marquis recalled Klavis’ strong favors to Lena. But he was worried about nothing.
“If that’s the case, I’ll help you.”
“Are you serious?”
“Of course.”
Klavis grinned and said something unexpected. When the Marquis suspected him, he nodded cheerfully, reassuringly.
It was obvious what the Marquis was up to. So Klavis wanted to check this out. Whether Lena Rubel really became a monster the way he wanted.
It’s meaningless if she fell into such a trap and died.
🍃🍃🍃
The atmosphere of the so prepared dinner was cold.
Lynn and Ruvid never hid their hatred for each other’s death, and Lena looked at Klavis, the host of the dinner, as if she had been ill at times.
In the meantime, the sumptuous dishes on the table cooled off without any touch.
In the tranquil mess, Klavis said in a flash, “Everyone seems to be friends because they sit side by side. How about we get along?”
“Don’t talk nonsense, get your business out.”
Ruvid was irritated by Klavis’ nonsense. Lena and Lynn also gave the same eye, and in the end, Klavis pretended he couldn’t win.
“It’s a closed invitation. Well, it’s obvious. Dame Lena, today Prince Ruvid and the Duke of the East have visited the tomb first.”
“I heard it.”
“But the topography of the tomb is completely different. It’s a big deal.”
‘…What do you want to say?’
Lena felt a strange feeling and looked at Klavis. Then he spoke with a deep smile.
“So, I thought, instead of those who are unfamiliar with this place, why don’t we send someone who’s familiar with this place first?”
“What do you mean as familiar?”
“Those who swallowed the first cry.”
Those who swallowed the first cry was the name of the dead who had devastated the South.
The horrible predators who caused the Southern War to be called the Silent War because of the tendency to respond to sound.
That name was familiar to Lena, who was a mercenary soldier in the South.
“You know as well as you’ve been fighting for a long time, and most of all, the South needs to be greedy, right? So the first goal is to deal with them.”
Klavis’ decision was reasonable, without any need for further dissent. In fact, the method of dealing with the dead who swallowed the first cry was well studied.
When Lena doubted and convinced, Klavis spoke again, “In that sense, what if the South takes the lead in the first expedition?”
It was a light voice as if he were suggesting a game.
“Lead the North and the East from the front, Dame Lena.”
Lena’s eyes widened by the clear point, and a suggestion close to a command.
Lynn was also surprised. The Cardinal was not aware of the current situation of the southern knights, so this was like saying that she should die.
Lynn realized Klavis’ inner self and bit his lip quietly.
Lena lowered her gaze for a moment as if she had chosen something to say. Then, at the time when she raised her head to give an answer….
“With whose permission?!”
For a moment no one expected, Ruvid slammed down the table and shouted, “Of course the vanguard is me!”
No one, not even Klavis, expected him to make an unexpected break-in. Klavis lost a word to speak for a moment. Lena and Lynn looked at Ruvid in silence.
But Ruvid was stubborn. He had no interest in how things worked, and he was just furious as being pushed out of the lead position.
“Prince Ruvid…”
Klavis blinked and quietly called Ruvid. But Ruvid didn’t even know what was wrong.
Thanks to this, Klavis was a little tired. He knew Ruvid couldn’t take a minute, but he couldn’t keep track of the times and places like this.
Fortunately, it was not so difficult to catch the reins of this gnat.
It was just time Klavis had to try to shut Ruvid’s mouth.
“I will follow the will of the Cardinal.”
An unexpected voice interrupted first. It was Lena.
“It’s a great honor for the South to be the vanguard of the first expedition.”
“How funny….!”
When Ruvid tried to shout again, Klavis raised his hand and blocked him. Then he turned to Lena with a puzzled look.
‘Is this a trap?’
Klavis asked with confused eyes. Lena replied with calm eyes.
‘I know that.’
‘But why?’
‘Why do you care?’
Lena’s cold eyes made Klavis bit his lower lip tightly and swallowed a smile. However, Lena went on speaking in defiance of his craving.
“There is something I would like to ask instead.”
“Tell me.”
Klavis nodded curiously.
“First, consider this decision as a voluntary choice of the South.”
“As you like. What else?”
“You said that the first expedition was nine days later.”
“Do you want me to postpone the date?”
“No.”
Lena shook her head at Klavis’ hasty interference. Then, she smiled lightly and said the opposite, “Please pull the date. In two days.”
An unthinkable proposal widened the eyes of Lynn and Ruvid. Klavis reaction was almost the same. But unlike the other two, the passion in his eyes was terribly impure.
“Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
He asked her again, but Lena’s answer remained. So Klavis had to stifle a smearing smile around his lips.
‘What is this again?’
Klavis looked into Lena’s eyes as if to find out what was inside. But Lena pretended not to give him any clue.
That made Klavis even more excited. (he’s crazy)
He felt sad by just imagining what Lena would do.
It was like he was in love.7
🍃🍃🍃
The night that came after the dinner was particularly dark. On that night, even the moonlight was overcast, the darkened lake was as black as a pit.
It was the time when Lynn looked at the deep black lake with a confused mind.
“You’re here earlier tonight. I was in a hurry too.”
A soft voice came along with the sound of stepping on the grass. A sweet and quiet voice. Now he could recognize Lena’s voice just by hearing it in seconds.
Even after a noisy day, her voice was as relaxed as usual. So Lynn could easily predict Lena’s expression hidden in the dark.
“I came earlier than usual.”
“Why?”
“There’s a lot I want to say.”
“Yes, there’s a lot of work today,” said Lena, added with a light smile.
“Meeting Sir Lynn every night feels like writing a diary for some reason.”
“Diary?”
“After an exhausting day, Sir Lynn asks questions one by one. Just like a teacher checking a diary.”
Diary. Lynn burst out laughing at the naive analogy.
Come to think of it, Lynn always asked the reasons for Lena’s ideas and actions. So, from Lena’s point of view, it felt like she was being examined.
But Lynn couldn’t stop asking questions. It was simply because Lena’s presence was too big to pass on as a courtesy.
So, Lynn asked questions again today.
“Why two days later?”
“You think I’ll answer everything if you ask me like that, right?… I’m kidding, Sir Lynn. Don’t be sullen.”
Lena, who had been rather mischievous, saw Lynn’s sullen shadow and immediately changed her words. Then, she answered in a good manner for Lynn, who was embarrassed.
“Why two days later, I thought if they had time, they’d prepare another trap.”
“You’re really…”
“Really…?”
“I think it’s strange. … I didn’t mean that, sorry.”
Lynn, who casually mumbled, saw Lena’s cold shadow and immediately withdrew his comment.
But the feeling of strangeness was genuine.
Lena was quite objective in identifying her situation. It was full of traps and plots around her, and she knew that it’s after her every moment.
So it was hard to understand. The lady’s reckless, unconventional move.
It was an obvious trap for Lena to take the lead. But instead of avoiding it, Lena had pushed forward a tight schedule for a week on condition that she accept the suggestion.
It was a thunderbolt in the East too.
“You’re in trouble because of me, aren’t you?” asked Lena, as if she had read Lynn’s thoughts.
Lynn couldn’t say no, so he replied after much thought, “That’s right. I’m in trouble.”
“I’m sorry for Sir Lynn.”
“You don’t have to. Actually, I’m more curious than I’m in trouble.”
“What are you curious about?”
“What kind of person are you.”
The most important thing for Lynn now was to establish a position in the East and to keep his knights.
Nevertheless, Lynn didn’t hate Lena, who suddenly dropped the thunderbolt. It was because he believed she was not a random person.
Lena grinned at Lynn’s subtle trust and curiosity. Then she asked playfully, “What kind of person Sir Lynn looks like?”
“Strange man?”
“Did you think before you spoke?”
“…. I think I’m a little ahead of myself.”
Lena was stunned and looked at Lynn. But all she could see was a black shadow, so she imagined his expression and eventually laughed.
‘You know how to make jokes like this?’
Lena thought he was just a calm and gentle person, but she didn’t know if there’s something unexpectedly sly about him.
Lena, who had laughed unwittingly, looked at the big shadow with her lips pressed together.
How boring would it be without this man in the palace?
She thought she was glad to know Lynn, and then she recalled how trivial the first moment they met was.
It was a pure coincidence. The two happened to be in the same place, and got to know each other.
What if it weren’t for that coincidence? The Eastern Duke would’ve revealed his teeth to Lena too. The agent of the Southern Duke wouldn’t have helped Lynn, and of course there would’ve been no late-night friendship.
The thought of it made this moment even more special. So Lena asked happily.
“Then another question. Sir Lynn, what kind of person do you want me to be?”
“A person who doesn’t do anything dangerous.”
“Why?
“I’m afraid you’ll get hurt.” (help-)5
Lynn answered easily this time. But for Lena, it was quite embarrassing. She stared at his shadow in silence and soon sighed.
“You’re really…”
Lynn’s calm voice made Lena realized. It wasn’t a coincidence. The reason for getting to know him was not trivial at all.
Lena knew him because he was a kind man. Everything was possible because he watched, worried, and helped Lena.
Realising that, Lena became distressed.
Even in the same place, the difference between getting off at sea and getting on dry ground was indescribable.
That’s the same with favors. To Lena, who suffered from malice from her father and many others, Lynn’s unintentional favor was overwhelming. It was not easy to accept, so she had to endure for a while.
However, Lynn didn’t even know why, so he looked at Lena’s shadow. Lena breathed slowly, thought it was good that she was in the dark.
“Me too.”
“Hm?”
“I don’t want Sir Lynn to get hurt, either.”
In the end, Lena muttered with a feeling of surrender.
“So listen carefully to what I’m saying from now on.”
Although it was originally unplanned, Lena couldn’t be silent anymore, so she opened her mouth.
“It’s about the tomb expedition two days later.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
About Klavis, I’m speechless…
btw, there’re some sentences that were hard to translate, i used 3 different sites y’all~~~
3
Comments:
마르멜(ehsh****):
No, but Ruvid seems to mess up with Klavis (yes please). And there are so many crazy and scary people here that Ruvid’s behaviour is now very trivialㅋㅋ lol cuteㅋㅋ
홍기연(kiye****):
Ruvid ㅋㅋㅋㅋ Ruvid, who embarrassed Klavis… ha… And unconscious fluttering Lynn…I love you, writer-nim.
yeu(yeun****):
So the writer, when was the wedding for them???
리키(alic****):
I found it while reading from episode 1… that the name of Marquis Rubel was Cardo Rubel…..