To The Battlefield

The Eastern Kingdom thus fell to the Empire. The kingdom, having lost its queen, surrendered unconditionally, and the Empire deposed her and made the Eastern Kingdom a complete vassal state. The gold, silver, and treasures obtained from the capital, Narangd, exceeded even the reparations received from the Southern Kingdom. The Imperial Army returned triumphantly to the Empire amid cheers.

But Victor Mort felt no relief at all. The nightmares did not end, and putting him to sleep had now become no different from waging war. No matter how much pain he suffered, whether he sought sleeping draughts or magic, or even struck himself with his own sword, not a single wound appeared on him.

The Grand Duke despaired.

The Queen had made it impossible for him even to kill himself.

Then who could do it? Who could cut him down and put him to sleep, ending this agony?

Who in the world could defeat the strongest knight on the continent?

He did not remember much of what happened afterward. The only reasons he managed to return to the Empire without falling from his horse were his powerful body and the Queen’s blessing that was no blessing at all.

No one approached the knight, whose face looked far more terrifying than it had the last time. Even the Emperor dismissed him after only a few brief words.

Victor refused every banquet and shut himself inside the capital residence. That was the result of Dideric and Madam Sermona dissuading him from staying at the training grounds on the outskirts of the capital. They said they could not allow their suffering master to sleep in shabby lodgings and that they would help with his treatment as well.

The Grand Duke merely nodded. He was too exhausted even to object.

And so, the capital residence became a battlefield of their own. By day, he met healers found by the employees, and by night, the knights guarded the corridors and stood watch outside the windows.

Ominous rumors spread throughout the capital. People said Grand Duke Mort had gone mad and was locked inside his room, or that the Mort Knights might revolt.

They were false rumors, but the frightened nobles cut off all contact with the Mort Residence. Even Nanael Welch, who had supposedly visited during the war while calling herself his fiancée, did not dare come. The residence where traces of Morteon remained grew increasingly desolate.

The Grand Duke thought.

Everything felt like his fault. His people’s suffering, the continuation of the wars, and the countless deaths. Mort being stained with blood, his failure to hold proper funerals for his brother and comrades, his father’s departure, and even his mother’s death.

His aching, sleepless mind would not stop thinking. The old depression ate away at his entire body.

Then one day, his knights came to see him.

“Someone from House Welch came today. They asked what you intended to do about the engagement.”

“If I were them, I wouldn’t be thinking of pushing my daughter into my bedroom in my current state.”

The Grand Duke replied gloomily. Leonard nodded.

“We explained the situation and offered compensation in gold coins, but…… they would not listen. From their perspective, they probably do not want to lose such a marriage.”

“They don’t care even if the other party is insane? They’re out of their minds.”

Leonard fell silent at the caustic remark. Beside him, Kaltz spoke in a crooked tone.

“Well, they certainly are out of their minds. There are even rumors in the capital that Your Highness brings knights into the residence every night to attend to you in bed.”

“What?”

“This is why I can’t understand the etiquette in this neighborhood. They say no one but a wife may enter a man’s bedroom. What kind of absurd rule is that?”

Kaltz complained.

The Grand Duke stared into empty space for a moment. Normally, he would first have grown angry that such an insulting rumor was circulating, but his exhausted body produced another thought.

A wife. The position of Grand Duchess that House Welch desired so much. A woman who occupied that position would be able to touch him without hesitation, by night or day. Even if no healer could cure him, a powerful mage…… or a knight might.

At the same time, a story he had heard on the battlefield flashed through his dulled mind. The rumor about the strongest female knight in the Kingdom.

The Grand Duke abruptly said,

“Bring her here.”

“Whom do you mean?”

“The strongest knight in the Kingdom, the one Jane mentioned. She could watch over me at night and put an end to the engagement with House Welch.”

The knights exchanged bewildered glances.

“You would trust only a rumor? Did Jane not say it was merely something she heard in passing?”

“Besides, I am not sure whether Your Highness, in your present condition, could endure such a long journey……”

The Grand Duke did not answer and looked out the window.

Truthfully, he had almost given up on treatment. Neither medicine nor poison worked, and no magic had any effect.

Moreover, Victor was painfully strong. The knights standing night watch were beginning to suffer injuries.

To subdue someone without hurting them, one had to be stronger than that person. But the Grand Duke had never met anyone stronger than himself. So he did not hold any particular expectations.

But if she is strong enough, even if she cannot restrain me or put me to sleep, she may at least be able to cut me down and kill me.

Victor decided to stake everything on that final possibility.

In the end, the knights carried out their liege’s command and planned the journey to the Kingdom. The Mort Knights quietly left the capital and headed north. Throughout the journey, Victor remained shut inside the carriage like a corpse.

After traveling for several weeks, they reached the northern land, where the King immediately understood whom he meant.

The northern noblewoman he met was,

“I am Amarion of Amari, Your Highness.”

She truly looked strong. Hers were the eyes of a warrior who had endured a long battle for many years.

At that moment, Victor thought.

If this woman truly cut him down, he would give her all the wealth and honor of the grand ducal house. He would even hand over the title that would pass to a wife upon her husband’s death and make her the foremost lady in the Empire.

The Grand Duke made his proposal, and the young lady accepted.

After traveling the long road back, Victor locked the gates and stationed knights in the garden. He told them to come save her if she screamed and not to stop her even if he was injured, then lay down on the bed.

This time truly expecting the end.

And the next day,

“……I’m alive.”

The Grand Duke opened his eyes to the dawn.

“Did you hope to be dead?”

Victor saw a white figure crouched beneath the window.

The face he had deliberately tried not to look at, the long hair the color of reed blossoms, the thin arms, and the exhausted expression. Even so, her hand still gripped her sword tightly.

The Grand Duke gazed at her with something close to awe.

“No, I was only…… surprised.”

Suddenly, the entire world turned upside down, and Victor became able to envision a tomorrow he had not considered in a very long time.

The longer he spent with her, the more unfamiliar emotions filled him. He had never met anyone like her in his life. Someone strong enough to stand as his equal. A great knight who willingly gave every night of her life to someone suffering.

Every instinct within him surged, and the Grand Duke clung to her like a child trying to reclaim everything he had lost. His mind was filled only with the thought that he could not lose her.

He did not care even if people called him insane. Strength, authority, gold, or even his body. He did not want to distinguish between methods. As long as he could keep his precious woman alive by his side. As long as he could finally accomplish what he had never once succeeded in doing.

And so, Victor thoroughly disguised himself. He acted as the kind of man she would like, behaving like a gentleman he had never once been, and tried to make her never want to leave.

At the same time, he wrapped everything around her in softness like a down quilt. So she would be safe, never go anywhere, and see and hear only good things. He locked the doors so no one could steal her away.

He was clumsy and failed several times, but in the end, everything went as he desired.

In the early dawn, Victor kissed her pale forehead and swore to protect her for the rest of his life.

-My savior, the only family I had regained.

-The only person who could bring me both life and death.

“……Marion.”

-You,

-You alone, never.

Summer in Mort had reached its peak. Hot sunlight poured through the windows in the early morning.

I rubbed my eyes and rose from the bed. As had been the case lately, the spot beside me was already empty. When I rang the bell, the maids quickly entered carrying cool honey tea and a washbasin. I drank the honey tea and asked,

“Where is His Highness?”

“He finished his meal a moment ago and entered his study.”

“I see. Thank you.”

At my words, the maids watched my expression. Pretending not to notice, I washed my face with cool water scattered with flower petals.

It had already been more than two weeks since the strange cold war between Victor and me began. Ever since the execution incident, I had continuously avoided Victor, and he had not gone out of his way to seek me either.

Truthfully, I was still confused. Victor had always been kind and affectionate, yet in reality, he had been cruel enough to send people to the gallows without hesitation. Distress filled the place where the illusion I had built up had collapsed. Even though it had all been something I had imagined on my own.

With a troubled heart, I picked up and ate a mushroom pie topped with cream. Once I had finished eating and preparing myself, Mary cautiously asked,

“Madam, the vassals are waiting again today, saying they wish to see you. Shall I let them in?”

I sighed.

After the executions were canceled, several vassals had come every day asking to meet me. They said they wanted to express their gratitude.

But I sent them away each time. I had saved them because it was simply what I ought to have done as a knight. I did not want to be thanked for something like that. Besides, they were also people from whom I had heard unpleasant things only recently.

So I gave the same answer again today.

“Tell them to return.”

“Yes, Madam.”

Mary bowed her head and left the room.