Chapter 103
Flap, flap, flap.
Only after that sound had completely faded away did Edenber finally let out a long breath.
Back when he had been desperately searching for Asil to talk to her, and now he was the one avoiding Asil.
It was because he had no idea what kind of face he should show her.
Honestly, in his current state, it was uncertain whether he could even say
“have a safe trip.”
Even when he was alone like this, the words wouldn’t come out of his mouth. To say such a thing in front of her hearing it…
‘I was going to let her go if she said she was leaving.’
That’s why he hadn’t made any vow either.
But now, why…
Just thinking about Asil leaving his side made it hard to breathe, but he had to steady his shaking heart.
He took out the marriage contract he had written a few months ago from the drawer.
「1. Edenber Monlepe will never harbor feelings for any other member of the opposite sex.
2. Edenber Monlepe will grant anything Asil desires.
3. Asil permits the adoption of an heir for the continuation of the Monlepe line. To be discussed later」
The contract was slightly crumpled. He bit his lip hard.
“I… have a duty to grant anything Asil wants.”
Even if that meant forever sending away the only one who was on my side—if it was what Asil wanted…
After muttering to himself for a long while, Edenber lowered his head deeply.
Yes, I’ll sort out my feelings just until today, and tomorrow I will definitely meet Asil.
I’ll look at her face and say goodbye, wishing her well…
And so the next day came.
“Piiya—!” (Nam Pyeon—!)
…He still wasn’t mentally prepared.
Edenber decided to postpone meeting Asil until the next day.
And so, yet another next day.
“Ppiyat-ppi!” (Asil is here!)
“…….”
Tomorrow, really, definitely.
And the day after that.
“Ppi!! Ya!!” (Nam!! Pyeon!!)
…What should I do.
If we meet, I feel like I’ll burst into tears right away, so I can’t face her.
It would be better if she just barged in recklessly like before, then I could pretend I had no choice and talk to her.
But Asil only shouted from outside the door and did not try to come in.
Such meaningless days repeated, and finally the day of Asil’s departure was right around the corner.
Knowing she was leaving early tomorrow morning, Edenber grew anxious.
‘I absolutely have to meet her today.’
Since it would be the last memory, he wanted to show the best version of himself.
So he dressed as carefully as if he were attending a ball.
While doing so, he kept thinking to himself.
‘Send her off with a smiling face. Smiling face, smiling face…’
…But what exactly does smiling feel like again?
When he was with Asil, he smiled naturally without even realizing it.
But after not seeing her for just a few days, he had already forgotten how to smile.
Edenber stared at his reflection in the mirror.
The expressionless, stiff face looked like someone who had nothing to do with the word “smile.”
“Was it like this?”
He forcibly pulled up the corners of his mouth.
Hmm, it didn’t feel like this…
It was at that moment that he heard the voice desperately calling for him.
“Your Grace! Someone from the Great Temple has come!”
Puzzled by the incomprehensible words, Edenber turned toward the door.
Why from there, and for what reason?
Edenber went down to the main building’s lobby. There he met a holy knight dressed in full ceremonial uniform.
“I heard you will be present tomorrow as a witness when the former Duke Skya is transferred to the Secluded Tower. Today we came to escort you so we can rehearse the procedure in advance.”
“…? Why would I— What about Duke Starafit—”
As he spoke those words, Edenber’s face changed to one of realization.
He had only just remembered that Duke Starafit was gravely injured.
When the criminal is a noble, a person of equal or higher rank must serve as witness, and since the opponent was Duke Skya, only fellow dukes were eligible.
Duke Starafit was bedridden, and Duke Skya was absent.
In other words, there was no one else who could serve as witness except himself.
“…Understood. Lead the way.”
Thinking he could finish quickly and return, Edenber started walking.
“Will the Divine Beast not accompany you?”
“…I’ll go alone.”
“Understood.”
Thus, Edenber headed to the Great Temple under the holy knight’s guidance.
However, the rehearsal took far longer than expected, and it was late at night before he could return to the ducal residence.
He hurried to the Divine Beast’s room, but Asil was already fast asleep.
He couldn’t wake a child who had a long journey ahead, yet he couldn’t just let her go like this either.
In the end, Edenber slept lightly in front of the Divine Beast’s room.
When he woke up, it was morning.
‘Asil?’
No one had gone out, so she should still be inside, right?
He immediately opened the door.
However, there was one thing Edenber did not know.
Asil had woken up earlier than him and had already left the ducal residence using Arcian’s spatial movement magic.
* * *
“It’s going to sound like an excuse… but I was planning to follow you to the port as soon as today’s transfer was over.”
In truth, he had wanted to rush straight to Countess Erzebet’s estate, witness or not.
But the Great Temple had said, “If Your Grace cannot come, please send the Divine Beast in your stead,” so he had no choice.
It would do no good if they found out Asil was absent.
“Daesseyo. I know everything about how the Duke was avoiding Asil.”
Asil looked at him with a sulky expression. Hmph, did you think Asil wouldn’t know?
If today was going to be this busy, he should have met her yesterday. If yesterday was busy, the day before yesterday would have worked.
“But Asil will forgive everything.”
Because we got to see each other like this.
I thought I wouldn’t get to see him, but just seeing him made me truly happy.
To be honest, I was holding back tears of joy that were about to spill out.
Edenber apologized repeatedly.
“I’m sorry. As soon as it’s over, I’ll head straight to the port.”
“Hmph. If you don’t come quickly this time, Asil will just board the ship and leave.”
“Got it. I’ll rush over as fast as I can the moment it’s finished.”
Having said that, Edenber gripped the carriage door handle.
The short meeting was regrettable, but it was truly time to go now.
The shouts of the holy knights still hadn’t stopped.
‘I need to wrap this up quickly and go see her off.’
Just as Edenber was about to turn the door handle with that thought—
“Hoooouuuuuk—!”
The cry of a being that should never be here echoed loudly through the street.
Shocked, Edenber looked out the window at the sky.
Asil, equally startled, followed his gaze upward.
The sky that had been covered in black smoke was now filled with crimson feathers.
‘Little brother?!’
It was the appearance of the gigantic firebird, Fier.
Asil, startled, pressed her face right up against the window.
I thought I wouldn’t be able to give him the silver helmet flower, but now I can!
I was going to ask Dad at the port to pass it on for me, but this is fortunate.
But his eyes look a bit cloudy—is it just my imagination?
Fier, covering the entire sky, looked down at the devastated street and roared.
“Hooouk…… Hoooouuuuuk……!” (I will…… protect…… my master……!)
At the same time, flames like a calamity itself engulfed the street.
“Arghhhhhhhh!”
“Save us!!!”
“The Divine Beast has gone mad!!!”
Countless people—knights and civilians alike—became victims.
Edenbrr stared at Fier, who was suddenly spewing fire, with trembling eyes.
What on earth is going on?
And “protect my master”—Duke Starafit is at the Great Temple right now, did I really hear that correctly?
“Hoooouuuuuuk!”
Fier roared loudly once more and breathed fire again.
This was no time to stay here.
Edenber bit his lip against the fierce flames and leapt out of the carriage.
“Do not come out no matter what.”
“Go ahead ! The bunny friend is here!”
Asil stacked the cushions high and tucked the bunny friend snugly between them.
‘This way it’ll be less scary.’
Then she jumped down from the carriage after Edenber.
Horrified, Edenber tried to stop Asil.
“Where do you think you’re going—get back inside quickly!”
“When humans fight divine beasts, the humans get badly injured.”
She clearly remembered what the vassals had said about Caron, who had challenged her to a duel.
She didn’t want her husband to get hurt. Since she was going to reveal it anyway, she would reveal it now.
“Asil will tell you a secret.”
Asil placed both hands on her hips with a snap.
“Asil is actually the boss of Monlepe.”
Having decided to reveal her identity, there was no longer any reason to hide the sub-space.
Asil took off her necklace and put it into the sub-space.
Edenber’s eyes wavered as he watched a pitch-black hole appear and disappear in midair.
“That is…?”
“Asil’s pocket. Wait just a moment.”
Asil brought her hands together, closed her eyes, and concentrated.
Asil is a baby dragon. Asil is a baby dragon. Asil is a baby dragon……
“Asil is a baby dragon!”
The moment she shouted loudly, she felt the mana surrounding her entire body escape into the air.
Her body shrank, and horns and wings grew from her head and back.
Right before Edenber’s eyes, she had returned to the form of a baby dragon.
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