Chapter 17
“Aaahhh!”
Through the thick debris, Joseph found his wife right away and held her tightly.
“Are you okay?”
Rita let out a short sigh and nodded.
“Yes, I’m fine. But what if the mine collapsed?”
At his wife’s fretful question, Joseph looked at the huge stone wall in front of them.
“It seems someone has laid a trap.”
Joseph frowned at the visible monster’s claw marks near the stone wall.
“…Will Milan’s servant be okay?”
He was busy observing the rock, but he looked back when his wife uttered a question anxiously.
“I can hear a breathing sound over the wall. Please don’t worry too much.”
Worrying about a servant whom she only met once, her face was pale as if she were about to collapse.
‘You’re still as soft-hearted as before.’
Rita in Joseph’s memory was someone who put others before herself even during a difficult situation.
‘That’s probably why she helped me without knowing my identity.’
He recalled the girl with an innocent face. He thought she probably couldn’t even imagine that the person she met was a deposed Crown Prince.
“The previous Crown Prince is also a demon hunter like you. They said he was dethroned because of that.”
The little girl sitting on the swing decorated with rose vines looked just like a fairy. Whenever her green eyes twinkled beautifully, she would often smirk mischievously as if teasing him, a little boy who had never removed his mask.
“This is a secret, okay? I secretly overheard what my father said to the vassals. He said he recently stopped by the south, but he hasn’t even met him.”
Joseph naturally frowned at the girl who clicked her tongue in disappointment.
“Aren’t you scared of the deposed Crown Prince?”
All citizens of this religious empire were afraid of demon hunters. Demon hunters played a major role in a monsters’ subjugation, but in the end, they were considered no different than the monster itself.
The little girl only rolled her round eyes at Joseph’s question.
“Why must I be scared?”
“There’s a rumor that he’s a monster.”
“Do you really believe such a foolish rumor?”
Even though she had never seen his face, the little girl frowned as if wanted to defend the Crown Prince.
“How can you call someone who didn’t die in a war, a monster? Is being strong a bad thing?”
“Unlike other Imperial family members, he doesn’t have holy power.”
“So what if he doesn’t have a holy power? Do you think those who have a holy power are all good people?”
Tears welled up his eyes as he stared at the little girl.
Her delicate and flawless face was reminiscent of a rose petal, but revealed under her dress every time she moved, her ankle and wrist were full of scars. The wounds were not an accident.
“And a man like my father also has a holy power.”
The girl continued to mumble by herself.
“I never believe people who say I’m a bad girl.”
“……”
“That’s why I won’t believe that the abandoned Crown Prince is a monster. The same goes for you. So don’t die.”
The little girl held onto Joseph’s wrist with all her might, as if she knew the intended use for the dagger hidden beneath his coat.
“Don’t die. Go to Odobelli instead. Even a devil hunter can live a normal life in that country.”
“…What?”
Odobeli was clearly the empire’s enemy. It was nearly impossible for a member of the Imperial family to seek refuge in Odobeli.
“Here, this is for you.”
However, she gave him a ticket to Odobeli.
“My father must be thinking of trading with them. So I stole it while I was looking for a shipping service.”
“Then you’ll need it more than I will.”
Knowing her relationship with her father wasn’t an ordinary one, Joseph stared down at the ticket on his palm.
“I can’t go anyway. Because my father won’t let me go. So you should go instead of me.”
“…..”
“And you have to pay this debt, okay?”
She whispered so softly that it stuck in his head like a memory.
“I will definitely leave Las Vecchia someday. When I’m ready to be free, you should help me then.”
The little girl smiled like a rose in full bloom. The girl silently endured a harsh life as a young noble yet was more concerned about others than herself.
In the end, little Joseph couldn’t save the girl or escape to Odobeli. As he went to Katan to subjugate the monsters, he was so occupied with his tasks that he forgot about her.
‘I can’t just say that I want to pay you back only now….’
Even if it was only a belated regret, Joseph wanted to protect her.
“Did you hurt your leg?”
He thought he had rescued her quickly, but Rita was looking at the wall and limping.
“I’m okay. You don’t have to worry.”
Her smiling face looked so fragile that Joseph clenched his fists hard.
Just as Joseph said, there was a sound of someone running away over the wall.
‘Did he really lay a trap and run away?’
That rascal! You’re dead if I catch you!
I stared at the wall and bit my lower lip.
‘It must be Millen’s work. Is it because the mine is on the verge of closing?’
Fertile territories and mines were the main sources of income for the Cardinale. Since the mine wasn’t doing very well, Millan must be loathed by my father.
‘Are you trying to threaten me….?’
I had no intention of going along with Millen’s scheme, so I moved around to see if I could do something to break the wall despite my aching ankle.
‘Seems like I should use my navigation alchemy.’
With his dark aura, Joseph was a sword master who could easily deal with a rock like this like cutting a pudding, but the ceiling might collapse if he made a slight mistake.
“I’ll find a crack between the rocks.”
“Hold on.”
“Pardon?”
I was trying to draw the magic circle, but Joseph lifted me and perched me on a flat rock. After briefly asking for my permission, he carefully took off my shoe and held my ankle.
“Ahh!”
I didn’t think I was seriously injured, but I seemed to have sprained my ankle quite badly.
‘This can hurt more the longer I look at it!’
I closed my eyes because I didn’t want to check on my wound for a petty reason.
My ears reacted sensitively to the sound of fabric being ripped in the darkness.
‘What are you ripping?’
“…Your Highness?”
When I opened my eyes to see what he was doing, his firm abs came into my sight first.
‘Why are you suddenly taking off your clothes?’
My husband seemed to be an exhibitionist by the way he was acting.
‘Last time you came into my bedroom wearing a transparent gown!’
Did he want to show off his body?
‘Of course, I am quite thankful to see it….’
I tilted my head, trying to cover my rising smile.
“Are you feeling hot?”
“…Please keep your eyes closed.”
Unaware of my filthy mind, he tore off his shirt and used it as a bandage.
“You could’ve ripped my dress.”
I rolled my eyes sideways because I was embarrassed by the sight of his muscles. After completing the bandage regardless of my complaint, he grabbed my ankle again.
“It’s all done.”
I smiled softly watching Joseph carefully tighten the bandage and put my ankle down.
“Thank you.”
Joseph stared at my smiling face and slowly pursed his lips inward. He didn’t say a word.
‘Maybe he’s feeling awkward with my gentleness toward him.’
After observing his handsome face for a while, I cleared my throat.
“Ahem, Your Highness.”
“Yes.”
“Even if this is a political marriage and we each have a lover….”
“….”
Strangely enough, Joseph’s expression hardened as I spoke. I hurriedly added in case he misunderstood me.
“But I still want to get along with Your Highness. Like a friend.”
However, Joseph only frowned as if he didn’t hear what I just said.
“A lover….”
“What?”
“Is that why you want to divorce me?”
A thick vein bulged on the back of Joseph’s clenched hand. I just nodded slowly despite his rigid face.
“Yes.”
I was hoping he wouldn’t be embarrassed even if he was caught having a lover. Because I sincerely wanted to support him and Ibelina.
‘What a lovely couple.’
Just like Joseph, Saintess Ibelina was Crown Prince Carlo’s closest aide. She was the only saintess who supported Carlo, unlike the church or the Holy Council who supported George.
I had waited for George to summon me to the Imperial Palace even after my marriage, but unlike me, Joseph had never revealed his relationship with Ibelina.
‘He must have done that out of consideration for me, his wife.’
I only knew about their relationship after I married Joseph. The day George abandoned me and Joseph lost his younger brother, Carlo, he said.
I have someone I love
Joseph continued to look out the window as he hugged my naked body. I was holding onto his firm arm, falling deeper into loneliness and sadness.
“….I understand.”
Joseph clenched his fists even more, perhaps he was embarrassed that he had been caught. The rocks crumbled in his hand.
‘You’re really strong.’
I brushed off the dirt on my hands lightly, thinking that a sword would not be more necessary to break that stone wall.
“I thought of a way to get out of here!”