The Lady Of The Red Moon (17)

“Why are you sighing like that?”

With a fluttering sound, the blanket was lifted and Liris, startled, tried to sit up but wobbled and collapsed back down.

“Ugh…”

Because they’d been rougher than usual, she hardly felt like herself.

“Just lie still.”

He snorted softly, climbed onto the bed, and took a place beside her.

“Come here.”

Liris slipped into his outstretched arms. Through the thin sheets she felt his warmth—more than warm, almost hot. She inhaled deeply, liking the man’s fresh scent that washed over her.

“Is something bothering you?”

At Kaiston’s question, Liris hesitated, not knowing what to say. He waited quietly for her. Feeling that she had to say something, she rolled her eyes.

“Master… you’ll get married too, won’t you?”

She felt him flinch at her words.

“Why do you ask something like that?”

“It’s just… I wondered if that’s why you make me take contraception.”

He gave her a pill every day, and Liris knew it was contraceptive. It wasn’t harmful, but the fact that he didn’t want children with her made her sad.

No noble would expect an heir from a slave who served at night. Once he took a lawful wife, she would inevitably be disposed of, and he wouldn’t welcome an illegitimate child that would endanger succession. Kaiston certainly didn’t treat her like a slave; sometimes he behaved like a lover who truly cared. Yet forcing her to take contraceptives every day meant, in the end, that her worth to him was only that much.

“Do you want a child?”

“……”

He softly stroked her hair as she watched his expression.

“If your feelings don’t change even a year from now, I’ll allow it then.”

“A year from now?”

Liris forced down her discomfort. No matter what, by then her identity would be revealed. Why would he set such a deadline?

He didn’t speak; he kissed her forehead. Holding her fragile, soft body, he fell into thought.

If he’d followed his desire, he’d have gotten Liris pregnant and bound her to his side for life. But that would ruin her life. He couldn’t bring himself to do it.

He planned to treat her as well as possible for a year to win her heart. But if after that her feelings still weren’t for him, if she grew to hate the Red Moon—

‘I’ll let her go.’

Kaiston sighed softly without realizing it. He intended to give her wealth and status so she’d live without worry, and then send her away. The thought choked him, but it would be the smallest atonement and reward for staying with him for a year.

Being trapped in this barren the Red Moon wasn’t easy. There’s a difference between staying by choice and being unable to leave no matter what. Though he’d become numb after more than a decade, the first years in the Red Moon were hell. How could he force such suffering on her?

But if, by chance, Liris wanted to stay by his side. If she granted him her heart. If she found a way to be happy even beside him.

Just thinking of that faint hope made his heart race.

If he had a beautiful child who resembled her… he’d grovel to the damned Emperor and ask to visit the Isles, if only to show his aging parents a lovely daughter-in-law and grandchild.

He wanted to prove proudly that they were living happily. He would reassure them to stop worrying about their foolish child and spend the rest of their days in peace.

Grand General Luther, who held the real power of the Empire’s military, had been sighing more often these days. He was, at heart, a soldier unbothered by lust for power. Yet circumstances kept pushing him into the center of political strife. Above all, his eldest son Millen’s insult to the imperial family was unforgivable, no matter that he was his son.

He had slapped his son and called him out of his mind; Millen had retorted fiercely and left the headquarters, not to return. Luther couldn’t decide how to deal with him. He was also uneasy that the Emperor remained silent. It was because he someone who usually did not given in to silence, was cunning, and greedy as a snake.

From the depths of headquarters, sighing and fiddling with paperwork that wouldn’t progress, his aide approached quietly.

“General.”

“Oliver, what’s the matter?”

“Have you seen this invitation?”

Oliver handed him a paper, clearly high-quality and decorated with ornate gold leaf. Luther frowned as he took it. It was surely an invitation to a noble’s banquet, and he didn’t much care for such social gatherings.

But there must be a reason his aide Oliver showed it to him. As expected, the moment he saw who sent it, Luther’s eyes widened.

“Duke Crunel?!”

“Yes. It’s an invitation to a banquet at the lordly estate in Sinal.”

“Huh.”

Luther couldn’t keep his mouth shut. Was Kaiston Crunel someone who would host a banquet?

“Why on earth?”

“Who knows. Perhaps he’s looking for a bride?”

“Hmm…”

Luther frowned and looked at the invitation over and over.

“Surprisingly, quite a few houses plan to attend. This is the first time Duke Crunel has appeared in society.”

Luther exhaled and closed his eyes; the image from more than a decade ago still came vividly to mind.

The memory of the 17-year-old crown prince who had stood proudly before the Empire’s hundred thousand troops and challenged them to single combat.

A youthful lad in mourning clothes—no armor because he was attending a funeral. The pitying smirks at him turned to admiration, then to horror. In a situation where even sending a general couldn’t guarantee victory, the Emperor saw exactly why the young prince was stalling. He had captured the prince’s parents, who couldn’t bear to leave their precious only son, and thus forced his hand.

When the proud spirit of the crown prince was brutally broken before the hundred thousand troops and countless commanders, and the white flag was raised over Baras’s castle, no one cheered for some reason.

Most people couldn’t guess why the Emperor insisted on occupying the small state of Baras. They paid tribute faithfully every year, and a country leaning toward civility posed no threat to the Empire. Worse, it was during the Baras king’s mourning. Public opinion was awful, but the Emperor pushed his will through.

The stated reason was that the late king had insulted the Empire. Few knew the true cause was refusing a marriage proposal. In any case, they captured the crown prince and offered him as a son-in-law again—an outrageous move. When that failed, they dumped him in the Red Moon. That was already twelve years ago.

Luther had sometimes wondered how that young crown prince fared; he’d be a grown man by now.

‘Looking for a bride.’

He only had three sons under his command. What if he’d had a daughter? He might never have resolved to send a beloved child to the Red Moon.

“Did Marquis Lotus accept the invitation?”

“Yes.”

‘In the Lotus house there was said to be the Isles’ finest beauty. What was her name—Esnel, was it?’

“Hmm. Is that so?”

“Yes. But, General.”

His aide Oliver, watching his expression, cautiously brought up the main point.

“Sir Millen will attend the banquet.”

“What?”

Luther’s brow furrowed.

“Why would that brat go all the way to Sinal?”

He’s not the prospective groom, nor has he shown interest in Duke Crunel.

“Find out why.”

“Yes, General.”

“And…”

Luther hesitated a moment, then spoke decisively as if he’d made up his mind.

“I’m going too. To Sinal.”

“Master… I really can’t anymore…”

“Relax your muscles. Hold on a little longer.”

Kaiston patted Liris’s trembling thigh.

“Ugh… but…”

Liris said with a face on the verge of tears.

“It’s too high and scary. When we’re together, it’s not scary at all, but now it is.”

During the few leisurely afternoons they’d had, Kaiston had been teaching Liris to ride. He wished they had a pony or at least a riding horse, but these days there were only warhorses. Larger, stronger, and braver than ordinary horses, and many times more expensive. These warhorses were useful in battle but grueling for a novice. After just a few laps around the arena, Liris had reached her limit.

“When we go to Sinal, I’ll buy you a horse of your own.”

Kaiston lifted the diminutive-feeling Liris down from the larger horse. He handed the reins to a groom who tended the warhorses, and he and Liris walked slowly along the corridor beside the training ground. It was the fourth day of the martial contests, so the duels underway were quite fierce.

“Is rank really that important?”

Admiring the formidable martial prowess of knights wagering nearly everything, Liris asked.

“It’s important.”

Kaiston said as he watched the knights on the duel field.

“On the battlefield, life and death can be decided by the smallest difference. To stand where you should, you must know your place. Survive that way, and over time you’ll become a knight both strong and wise.”

“Master, what about you? Are there knights stronger than you?”

Kaiston snorted and smiled at Liris’s bright-eyed question.

“I’ve never thought of myself as a knight.”

Startled by the unexpected answer, Liris widened her eyes.

“Really?”

Kaiston didn’t answer. He only briefly recalled a memory from long ago: the day he last stood on the battlefield as a knight because there was a country to protect and a king to serve. It was the same day his world fell apart.

The knight died.

Honor and pride lost, the country and king he defended taken, he died.

The pathetic crown prince who survived a ruined kingdom—That would answer Liris’s question. But he didn’t want to tell her that, so he only gave a faint smile.

“Well, you are a duke after all…”

“Liris.”

“Yes?”

“Shall I become a knight for you?”

Liris looked at him in surprise. He had stopped walking and was quietly looking down at her.

“If you want it, I can do that for you without hesitation.”

“Master…”

Not knowing what to answer, Liris only blinked.

“I—”

At that moment, the roar of a crowd erupted as a fierce duel between two knights concluded, drowning out his words.

“Oh, Master. Just one more time…”