Chapter 16
‘I’d rather go alone.’
We sat in silence as the carriage rattled toward our destination. I was completely at a loss what to do, so I just wiggled my toes under my skirt.
With Joseph suddenly joining us, Rona had no choice but to ride a smaller carriage.
Riding the carriage separately was equal to telling the world about our political marriage.
Since it was easy for rumors to spread.
“Ahem, ahem.”
I couldn’t stand the stifling awkwardness and impulsively cleared my throat. Joseph, who was looking out the window, turned his head to me.
The moment our eyes met, I was compelled to say anything and ended up opening my mouth on a whim.
“Mo-monsters! Are you going to hunt the monsters personally?”
“Yes.”
Joseph seemed bothered by my presence, so he nodded briefly as if he had no intention of continuing the conversation.
“But is there anything urgent that requires you to go in person, Your Highness?”
“Usually, I wouldn’t really need to go all the way to Sirtha, but I received a report that a new type of monster appeared there, so I should inspect it myself.”
Listening to Joseph’s serious answer, I shrugged off my delusion of thinking that he was following me to Sirtha.
‘Is the accident in Sirtha mine related to the monster?’
In the past, all I cared about was the financial loss caused by an accident in a mine owned by the Cardinale. I didn’t care about the cause or detailed damage.
“I see. I hope it’ll be solved well.”
I wrapped my hands around my knees and firmly locked my fingers, hoping my sincerity would reach him.
‘Oh my God!’
However, my sincerity aside, the monster had already ravaged the mine. I frowned at the sight of a mine that looked more like a sieve after being ravaged there and there.
It was said that Saint Ibelina discovered the egg of the Black Dragon Geneva here.
The birth of a monster meant the death of another monster…
‘The black dragon mother must have died after laying an egg here.’
I nodded slightly and glanced at the man who was running toward me.
“My Lady, have you come?”
The chief of the Sirtha Mine was someone I knew.
Chief Milan was one of the people in charge of the mines owned by the Cardinale, and he often visited the county.
“If you had told me in advance, I would’ve greeted you properly. I’m sorry, My Lady.”
I felt a strange sense of deja vu from his polite attitude.
‘Why aren’t you greeting Joseph?’
I briefly glanced at Joseph and said.
“Milan, say hello to His Highness the Grand Duke of Katan.”
“…Ah.”
He couldn’t have missed Joseph, who was significantly taller than him, but he nodded slowly as if he just realized Joseph’s presence.
“I greet His Highness the Grand Duke of Katan. My name is Milan and I’m in charge of managing Sirtha.”
“Be careful next time.”
I stepped up to rebuke Milan because I thought Joseph would be offended by his attitude. In fact, Joseph’s countenance was indifferent, as if he didn’t care about Milan’s rudeness.
‘Milan is someone my father treasures quite a lot.’
All of the people my father treasured were of the same kind as him.
They were so blinded by greed that they didn’t notice the trap my father had laid for them. His glittering, greedy eyes were similar to my father’s.
“Speaking of which, what brings you to Sirtha, My Lady?”
“It’s not My Lady. Call me Madam.”
I corrected Milan’s words sternly as I linked arms with Joseph.
“Ah, by the way! I reckon His Highness is a famous demon hunter.”
Milan wrinkled his nose in disgust as he spoke. His way of speaking began to feel more and more unpleasant.
“…that’s right. I heard a monster was detected in Sirtha. So I came to take care of it.”
“If that’s the case, I shall guide you to the mine.”
Milan beckoned a servant with his chin.
“Guide His Highness and Her Highness inside.”
“Yes. Your Grace.”
The child, who had been called, briefly glanced at me and Joseph before turning toward the mine entrance.
“Please follow me.”
Standing in front of the entrance, the child pointed his finger to a small cart.
“I think it’s a little too small for all three of us to ride. Is it okay with you?”
The cart installed on the rail only had two seats. I swallowed my saliva as I looked alternately between the child in the front seat and Joseph in the back seat.
“It could be dangerous, so you should…”
“Yes. I’m alright.”
‘It’s a little embarrassing, but I can’t help it either.’
Joseph was hesitating whether to leave me behind or not, and eventually, I left him no choice as I sat on his lap.
‘I’ll be in trouble if Joseph finds the black dragon’s egg before me.’
“Let’s go.”
I urged the child sitting in the driver’s seat as I leaned my back against Joseph’s arm.
“Yes!”
Creak, creak-
The cart began to rattle along with the noise of iron against iron screeching.
“Please be careful not to bounce off, Madam!”
“Oh my!”
Because the cart was shaking quite a bit, I had no choice but to hold onto Joseph’s arm.
“I’m sorry. Are you feeling uncomfortable?”
“…No.”
Contrary to his immediate answer, Joseph did not make eye contact with me.
‘It’s understandable. He used to hate physical contact like this.’
In the past, Joseph used to flinch whenever his hand touched my body.
‘I was offended back then, but now I understand.’
I tapped his shoulders and smiled, trying to reassure him.
“It’ll be over soon, please endure a little bit more.”
He seemed to open his mouth to answer, but the rattling stopped and the servant turned his head to the back.
“We have to walk from here. May I know where you want to go?”
“First of all, let’s go to the place where the monster was first discovered.”
“Yes!”
At Joseph’s words, the boy smiled brightly and nodded.
Without the light from the torch, the cave would be totally dark.
“I don’t need a torch.”
Joseph rejected the servant offering him the torch and closed his eyes briefly before opening them. Looking at his dazzlingly bright eyes, the young servant exclaimed.
“Ah! Those must be the rumored Ghost’s Eyes!”
‘Ghost’s Eyes’ was an ability manifested by those who hunted monsters and waged wars with demons at the forefront of the empire.
Just as a knight becomes a swordmaster upon reaching their peak, those who dealt with evil forces would naturally manifest the Ghost’s Eyes.
‘However, unlike the Paladin’s holy power, the devil hunter’s Ghost’s Eyes were despised by people.’
Demon hunters’ existence was important in an empire overrun by monsters, but unlike that of paladin, demon hunter was a job everyone avoided.
Therefore, commoners with a criminal history or former mercenaries who couldn’t join the ranks made a living from hunting monsters.
‘That’s why Milan also ignored him.’
Joseph had already forsaken his honor when he decided to protect the border, and I used to think his noble sacrifice was something vulgar and disgusting.
‘In my previous life, he never showed me his Ghost’s Eyes.’
His blue eyes were shining brightly in the dark, and it was the first time I saw it.
‘Even though I’ve seen another demon hunter’s Ghost’s Eyes.’
I met a child with a demon hunter’s ability before I came to Katan. However, I couldn’t remember much because I was so young.
‘How pretty.’
His blue eyes were usually very beautiful because their color was transparent and clear, but now ablaze, their appeal was quite different.
‘Somehow it’s quite sexy.’
“…Are you scared?”
Joseph stopped as if he was flustered by my piercing gaze.
“No. It’s pretty.”
I shook my head slowly and followed the boy ahead of us.
‘Am I being too frank?’
Demon hunters were never proud of their Ghost’s Eyes, so he might have been offended because he thought I was being sarcastic.
‘Did he like getting complimented like that?’
I had spent seven full years with Joseph, but I didn’t have the slightest idea of his preferences, because our relationship hadn’t been close to begin with.
“I’m sure it’s in this pit….aargh!”
It was then.
Along with the scream of the servant who was leading the way, a huge rock began to fall from above our heads.