The Lord Of Sinal (12)

Liris took a deep breath.

‘Why? Why do you… take away every last piece of my heart without leaving a trace behind? You make me realize that the things I hoped and wished for were nothing. Compared to these sparkling, miraculous moments you give me, they seem pitiful.’

‘I don’t deserve to receive this kind of love from you. Now that you know why I came to you. Now that you know everything.’

‘Aren’t you afraid of how this choice will trample your life again? Why don’t you even ask? Why don’t you get angry and ask what scheme this is?’

‘Explanations. The words my father and I had prepared to somehow placate you…’

‘But no one could have predicted it. That the prepared lies would become truth. That I would come to love you this much.’

‘So I shamelessly answer you.’

“Willingly.”

‘After all, my ‘Master’ will forever be only you. You made me not the ruthless Crown Princess of the Aikadum Empire, but a twenty-one-year-old foolish ‘lady’ utterly in love.’

‘So now I can answer you sincerely.’

“I will be yours forever.”

Tears glistening in her pretty amber eyes, Liris smiled brightly.

“I love you, my duke.”

A man with blond hair and reddish-brown eyes, with a faintly noble look, stood gazing at Sinal Castle. Dozens of knights were lined up beside him.

“Sir Millen.”

A knight rode from Sinal Castle and stopped before him.

“Chris.”

Millen greeted him with a smile.

“What did you find out?”

“Your words were correct.”

Chris said with a stern face.

“They say Duke Crunel brought a woman when he came from the Red Moon.”

“Is it true the woman’s appearance is unknown?”

“Yes. Not at all. But as you know…”

Millen cut Chris off and said, “It’s risky to accuse the duke based only on rumors about a woman using sacred power. As planned, while the banquet proceeds, we will secretly search the castle.”

Chris nodded at Millen’s words.

“Yes, understood. I’ve also requested ‘them’ as you said, so don’t worry.”

At Chris’s words, Millen’s gaze returned to Sinal Castle. Having followed a hard-won lead to come this far, he had to confirm it somehow. If the woman from the Red Moon truly was ‘her’, right now, while she was in Sinal, would be the only chance he could take her away by his own power.

Liris stared blankly at the ring Kaiston had put on her. The purple gem on her left ring finger gave off a soft glow, making her feel as if he were with her.

“Aaron, isn’t the ring pretty?”

Liris held out the hand with the ring to Aaron, who lay across her lap.

“Now it really feels like I’m his wife.”

He said the core of a mysterious stone was embedded in the ring. So even if she wore other accessories, the ring must always be kept on. Kaiston asked her not to take it off.

Aaron, who usually showed little reaction no matter what she did or said, surprised her this time; watching her hand quietly, he suddenly nibbled at her ring with a “nyam.”

“Ah! Aaron! That’s not for eating!”

His bite included both the ring and the finger, but it didn’t hurt at all. It was only ticklish, like being nipped by a kitten. Meanwhile Aaron licked the gem set in the ring with small licks.

“Ugh…”

At times like this he was exactly like a cat. It was ticklish but pleasant, so Liris simply let Aaron be.

Then she turned her head and looked down at the hall through the glass.

“I wonder when my master will come…”

The place she was in was a small, secluded space on the second floor above the banquet hall. It had been a waiting room used during stage performances, with special glass that allowed viewing out from inside only, so one could see the entire hall at a glance. The space was barely big enough for one adult to lie down, but it was more than enough for Liris to spend her time comfortably. Damon had laid plush, soft carpets and prepared cushions for her.

Quite a few guests had already entered the hall. Nobles from the Isles she knew began to appear one by one. Liris recalled the list of nobles who had RSVP’d to the banquet in her head.

“It’s about time…”

It was the turn for the high-ranking nobles to make their entrance.

“Marquis Lotus.”

“Commander!”

Just before entering the banquet hall, Marquis Lotus turned in surprise at the familiar voice calling him.

“We meet here. Have you been well?”

“So-so. It seems your daughter came with you after all.”

Luther said as he looked beyond the open banquet doors at the red-haired ‘lady’ surrounded by young ladies and young men.

“Yes. She begged so much to see Sinal. I even bought a villa near the Haran River because of her.”

“I think that’s not a bad investment. It’s a beautiful place, especially in summer.”

“But why did the Commander come all the way here…”

“Why, to see Duke Crunel.”

Seeing the excitement gleam in Luther’s eyes, Marquis Lotus smiled wryly.

“If it were me, I wouldn’t have sent an invitation to the Commander.”

“What nonsense. There’s probably no one in the Isles with a connection to the duke like I have.”

Marquis Lotus hesitated, not sure how to respond to Luther’s confident remark, when—

“That’s not untrue.”

A low, gentle voice answered on behalf of Marquis Lotus. Though it had been over ten years, Luther recognized him at once.

“Kaiston!”

“Long time no see, Commander.”

“Wow! Master!”

Startled, Liris sprang up and Aaron tumbled off her lap, shaking himself.

“My goodness… he looks like a completely different person…”

His black hair, usually unkempt and rough-looking from careless grooming, had finally been styled by a professional, neatly combed back. Dressed in a dark blue formal coat adorned with luxurious decorations befitting a duke, he even looked elegant.

As Duke Crunel, Commander Luther, and Marquis Lotus entered the banquet hall together, the atmosphere changed completely. Most people stopped talking and stared at Duke Crunel in stunned silence. Knowing the rumors about him circulating in the Isles, Liris could understand their feelings.

“I never imagined he’d be such a handsome man.”

Even standing next to Commander Luther, the duke’s presence was overwhelming. He matched him in build, and his gaze, tone, smile, and every action gave off an untouchable aura.

Even after entering the hall, he and Commander Luther continued talking for quite some time, so no one dared approach them.

The same went for the young ladies who were dumbstruck at the sight of Duke Crunel in person. Liris focused on the red-haired young lady among them: Esnel Lotus, Marquis Lotus’s eldest daughter, said to be the most beautiful woman in the Empire. Wrapped in a silvery-lilac dress, she was like a rose in full bloom. Who could refuse a woman with such unrivaled beauty and the Lotus family name behind her? Esnel stared intently at Duke Crunel. Seeing the smile at her lips made Liris feel instantly displeased.

She was clearly convinced that if she approached, the duke would be instantly captivated by her. Her expression was that relaxed, her eyes full of expectation.

At some point, Commander Luther turned his body. Somehow his gaze seemed aimed at Esnel. He said something to the duke, then walked over to Marquis Lotus and the other nobles standing across the hall.

As if she had been waiting, Esnel approached Kaiston.

“Your Grace.”

Kaiston looked at the young lady who had boldly come to speak to him first.

“I am Marquis Lotus’s eldest daughter, Esnel. It’s an honor to meet Your Grace in person after hearing about you only in rumors.”

The duke gave a slight nod to acknowledge her greeting, but then tried to pass by with little interest.

“Ah, um…”

Startled, Esnel instinctively reached out to grasp his arm.

But just before her hand touched him, Esnel had to stop. She had caught Kaiston’s gaze as he turned to look at her in response to the urgent voice and the reaching hand.

There was a chill as if standing before a blade honed to a cold edge. For a moment she felt she had glimpsed the abyssal reality hidden beneath his handsome exterior, and goosebumps rose all over her.

Only then did she remember once more who ‘he’ was.

Kaiston tilted his head slightly as he looked at the trembling Esnel.

“‘Lady’. Are you cold?”

Should she be glad to have gained a sliver of his attention? But Esnel shook her head vigorously without realizing it.

“Ah, no, Your Grace.”