The End Of Winter (3)

“His Highness endured a long war. He went through many horrific experiences beyond imagination. I heard there were times when he fought off nighttime ambushes only to discover that he was the sole survivor.”

“…….”

“They say he had suffered from nightmares ever since the battlefield. Then he developed an illness that caused him to awaken in his sleep and swing a sword.”

The elderly woman’s eyes drooped.

“His Highness tried very hard. He met every renowned healer he could find, and after forcing himself to stay awake for days, he would bind his hands and feet before dozing off. It seems the knights somehow restrained him on the battlefield…… but they cannot continue doing so even inside the mansion. Nor can they be allowed into his bedroom.”

My cheeks flushed involuntarily. Only the master and his bedmate could approach the bedroom at night. If knights had taken turns entering, outrageous rumors would surely have spread.

The woman heaved a deep sigh.

“After spending several months like that, he eventually brought you here, my lady. In our foolishness, we thought perhaps you possessed some way to prevent His Highness from awakening…….”

I closed my mouth. I was merely a knight who knew how to swing a sword, so I possessed no such extraordinary ability. However, something did seem strange. Were there not far too many weapons in the room of someone with such an illness?

“Could the weapons not have been hidden away?”

She quietly answered my question.

“My lady, His Highness is suffering from the aftereffects of war. He cannot fall asleep without a sword nearby or unless he is in a wide-open place.”

Her voice carried unmistakable sorrow for her master.

It truly was pitiful. In my homeland, many people had been crippled by monsters or suffered lasting psychological scars. Some could not even leave their homes without a sword, while others could not take a single step beyond the village boundaries.

But what I had experienced was unjust in a different way. Was this not the same as releasing an unrestrained beast without even providing detailed warnings? I had truly been terrified last night.

The woman repeatedly apologized to me.

“I am truly sorry, my lady.”

“It is all right. I would like to sleep some more, so please leave.”

I weakly pushed the plate away. What would be gained from blaming people who were not directly responsible?

The maids swiftly cleared away the empty dishes and drew the curtains without making a sound. Their skill was perfect, befitting servants of a grand ducal household.

Before leaving, Madam Sermona hesitantly asked.

“My lady, forgive my impertinence, but may I ask you one thing?”

“Go ahead.”

“How did you put His Highness back to sleep after he awakened? Not even the greatest physicians were able to do anything.”

I answered honestly.

“I blocked him with my sword.”

“Pardon?”

“I dueled His Highness after he awakened and knocked him unconscious.”

Shock spread across the woman’s face.

When I fell asleep and opened my eyes again, it was already evening. I sat up in bed and stretched. Perhaps because I had eaten and slept well, my entire body felt pleasantly relaxed.

It was a luxury I had never even imagined. The pure-white goose-down bedding was as soft and cozy as a cloud. In the northern lands where I had lived, even blankets generously stuffed with cotton were rare.

I summoned the servants and ate dinner in bed. Just as I finished eating my fill and was washing my face, the bedroom door opened.

“You are awake?”

It was the Grand Duke.

The moment I saw him, countless things I wanted to say surged up inside me. I swallowed my words several times, but one remark eventually escaped.

“You should have explained things in greater detail.”

“I thought you would run away if you knew.”

“Where would I go? There is nowhere that would take me in.”

He stared at me for a moment before silently removing his outer garment and hanging it over a chair. His body was clean, without a single cut.

“It could not have been easy to subdue me without inflicting any wounds.”

“…….”

“You were every bit as impressive as I had heard.”

I had not brought this up so he could praise my swordsmanship!

I bit my lip. Even though I had been praised by the finest swordsman on the continent, I was not pleased in the slightest. Even if I had fought the actual god of death, I would not have been as startled as I had been yesterday. He was not someone who could fail to understand how different it was to fight with prior knowledge compared to fighting without it.

However, that man seemed to have suffered so much in his life that he lacked the capacity to concern himself with such matters. He lay down on the bed and instructed me.

“Do not stay awake all night tonight. Once you finish your duty, go to sleep. I have never awakened more than once in a single night.”

While the attendants drew the curtains, I briefly went to the lady’s room and changed clothes. They were a loose pair of trousers and a shirt that I had asked the maids to procure earlier. I had experienced firsthand how troublesome a fluttering, thin nightgown could be during a fight. Since they were clothes worn by male attendants, they were somewhat too large……. I rolled up the shirt cuffs and returned to the bedroom.

Once again, the Grand Duke had fallen asleep in an instant, as though dead.

I sat beside him with the sword in my arms. Staying awake through the night with only a small light made me feel as though I were standing night watch. Since something resembling a beast was lying beside me, it was not all that different.

Just like yesterday, he awakened in slightly less than an hour. I silenced my breathing and drew my sword.

Now that I knew what would happen, I intended to change my strategy. Would it not be enough to put him back to sleep before he began rampaging? I crept toward him from behind before he could choose a weapon.

But suddenly, the Grand Duke seized the axe beside him with lightning speed. Startled, I dodged the blade flying toward me along an unexpected trajectory.

A sword was already heavy enough, so why had he placed something like an axe in the room as well?!

Only after barely blocking several attacks did I finally see an opening. I shoved his back with all my strength using my elbow, then struck the back of his neck and barely managed to knock him unconscious. Afterward, I carried his limp body back to the bed.

Once I finished the task in such a chaotic manner, all the strength drained from my body. Utterly exhausted, I collapsed onto the bed. I did not want to sleep beside the Grand Duke, but the temptation of the soft goose-down bedding was far stronger than I had imagined.

In the end, I hugged the scabbard and lay down at the very edge of the bed. I curled my body tightly so that I would not accidentally touch him.

The wedding nights I could never have imagined were passing by.

Someone shook my shoulder and woke me. Brilliant sunlight pierced through my eyelids. I struggled to open my eyes.

“My wife.”

The Grand Duke was looking down at me. His jewel-like amber eyes gleamed with interest.

“You slept like this?”

His gaze moved over the loose overalls and shirt I wore, then the sword clutched in my arms. Dumbfounded, I hugged the sword a little tighter.

And whose fault was this?

When I glared at him, he smiled for the first time. The smile was so beautiful that I had never seen anything like it, and for a moment, I forgot to glare and merely stared at him blankly. Still wearing that gentle smile, he straightened up.

“In any case, it appears you managed to sleep today.”

“……Yes, Your Highness.”

“Let us have breakfast together.”

He left the room wearing his robe.

Before long, the maids entered and attended to me. With their help, I washed, brushed my hair, and changed into a house dress. The garment they brought was more beautifully colored and softer than even the formal dresses worn at banquets in the kingdom.

Once I was fully prepared, I looked into the large, luxurious mirror. The sight of my thin, scarred body dressed in such a beautiful gown seemed ridiculous. Feeling as awkward as though I were wearing someone else’s clothes, I headed toward the dining room.

Breakfast had already been laid out in the dining room. There was freshly baked white bread, smooth vegetable soup, and duck roasted crisp on the outside. All the food looked warm, plentiful, and fragrant. Once again, I had to make a great effort not to devour everything greedily.

Seated at the head of the table, the Grand Duke elegantly cut his meat with a knife and placed it in his mouth. He said.

“Take some time to look around the mansion today. I must go to the Imperial Palace, so my butler will guide you in my stead.”

The butler standing beside him bowed neatly toward me.

“Greetings, my lady. My name is Dideric.”

“Y-Yes, it is nice to meet you.”

Dideric was a middle-aged gentleman with graying hair. His immaculately groomed hair and beard seemed to reflect his fastidious personality. As I looked at him, I became newly aware that the dining room was filled with servants.

Had I made some mistake? Perhaps the Grand Duke noticed me struggling to eat a large amount while appearing as dignified as possible, because he rose first.

“I must leave now. Take your time finishing your meal.”

“Ah, I should see you off.”

“There is no need. I am not going far.”

He lightly dismissed my concern and left the dining room.

When I looked anxiously toward Madam Sermona, she gave a small nod and whispered that it was acceptable for me to remain seated.

I had heard that a noblewoman was supposed to see her husband off when he left.

After briefly considering it, I simply pulled the plate of duck closer. After everything I had endured last night, I thought I deserved at least this much.