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Chapter 35
As Avalkin approached, people exchanged glances and quickly stepped aside.
“Strange.”
To Belakshina, it didn’t feel like a normal atmosphere.
Usually, when something happened, the people of a fief were quick to hide it from their lord.
Unless they specifically wanted to appeal a grievance, involving public authority in private disputes was burdensome in many ways (since someone was bound to end up in prison), so it was understandable.
But the people of Yeisken were sincerely welcoming Avalkin’s arrival, visibly relieved. From here and there came murmurs like “Thank you” and “God has answered us.”
In the center of the crowd, there was a child who had collapsed unconscious. The child’s hands and feet were almost purplish, and a middle-aged woman who seemed to have found the child first was holding them tightly, frantically urging them to wake up.
“Move aside.”
Only then did the woman realize Avalkin had arrived. With a face filled with shock and gratitude, she quickly stepped away. At his gesture, the people also stepped back as if they already knew what would follow.
‘What is this?’
Belakshina watched with a suspicious expression, unable to understand the atmosphere. Avalkin knelt down on one knee and began muttering something.
“…!”
At that moment, Belakshina’s eyes widened.
Around Avalkin, waves of light—like an aurora—spread out, as if he were wrapped in a flowing mantle of countless colors.
While the villagers clasped their hands in prayer, Avalkin’s figure faded within the radiance, and then suddenly transformed within a vast ripple.
“Good heavens…”
Belakshina covered her gaping mouth with her hand, staring at the unbelievable sight. It was an utterly supernatural phenomenon she had never expected to see in reality, yet it was unfolding before her eyes as undeniable fact.
There stood a pure white unicorn, so beautiful it seemed sacred.
“Oh Lord… thank you…”
It was no surprise that everyone fell to their knees in worship.
A man transforming into a unicorn was enough to freeze all critical and logical thought and evoke pure awe.
On the unicorn’s head was a horn as if made from all the jewels in the world combined. From it, a gentle dust of starlight rained down like snow upon the fallen child.
At that moment, color returned to the child’s pale hands and feet.
“…It saved them?”
The next moment, the unicorn that had brought the child back from the brink of death disappeared in light, and Avalkin stood in its place.
“Lord! Hurray!”
“Thank you! Truly, thank you!”
Amid the thunderous cheers, Avalkin showed no sign of joy or satisfaction. Instead, he looked somewhat sad as he placed the child down.
The child slowly opened their eyes as if waking from sleep and looked around.
“Huh…? Why am I here?”
“Hurry up and say thank you!”
The woman who had cared for the child pressed the child’s head down in urgency, forcing them to bow to Avalkin. The child, finally realizing the situation, quickly bowed.
“T-thank you, my lord. You saved me!”
Avalkin shook his head.
“No. You survived.”
Then he looked sadly at the child’s thin limbs.
Just before winter truly began, this was one of the harshest times in Yeisken—when people tightened their belts to store food.
“Everyone listen.”
Avalkin spoke to the gathered crowd.
“Winter will come.”
At those words, the people’s expressions darkened at once. The declaration of an inevitable season of death could only be painful.
“You are preparing for it. Doing your best. I know that. Everyone here has survived as many winters as their age allows. You know how to prepare. But from now on, it will be different.”
The listeners looked puzzled but paid close attention.
Avalkin raised his hand and gestured toward Belakshina.
“Come here.”
“W-what? This is rather sudden…”
“Come.”
Belakshina was almost pushed forward as she took his hand.
Avalkin then escorted her properly, as if presenting a noble lady, and placed her before the people.
“This woman. This woman is the one who saved you.”
He continued calmly.
“She has successfully secured a trade with Mantova. From now on, we will be able to reliably receive food every winter. Thanks to her, our winters will still be cold and dark—but no longer hungry.”
The villagers looked stunned.
A winter without hunger. Still cold, still dark—but not hungry.
It was almost unbelievable.
“Is… is that true?”
one villager asked cautiously. Avalkin nodded.
The crowd turned their gazes toward Belakshina with growing gratitude and reverence. As she tried to wave her hands in protest—
“Wait, no, I—”
“Her name is Belakshina Aoutbaian.”
Avalkin spoke clearly, observing the rising goodwill in their eyes.
“She will become your lady.”
The crowd erupted in cheers that shook the square.
* * *
“You are quite skilled at speeches.”
Back at the castle, Belakshina wore a slightly sulky expression.
Avalkin stroked his chin briefly before nodding.
“I don’t know why you are complimenting me, but thank you.”
“That wasn’t a compliment!”
Belakshina snapped sharply.
“How can you introduce someone like that? It was practically a performance! You made me look like I’m some kind of—”
“A savior?”
“Exactly! Like a savior!”
Avalkin smiled faintly. At that moment, Belakshina realized it had all been deliberate.
“You… cunning—!”
“It was a good opportunity to make the villagers welcome you. Margareta’s opinion is probably not hers alone.”
Belakshina recalled Margareta’s hostile gaze.
Of course, the girl had her reasons—but did that extend to everyone else?
“I don’t particularly want to be welcomed anyway.”
“This is not something you get to be stubborn about.”
Avalkin looked out the window at the villagers living their lives.
They were all his family, his assets, his duty, his responsibility—and the purpose of his life.
“You must become the mother of all Yeisken people. That is what a lady is. Even if, in reality, it is nothing more than slavery.”
Belakshina clicked her tongue, irritated by his constant reminder of her status as a slave.
“So much responsibility for a 10,000-gold slave.”
“You’re sulking again.”
“Wouldn’t you be?”
As their usual argument began—
“MY LORD!”
Ingrid’s urgent voice echoed through the hall.
Her hurried footsteps followed—something completely unlike the calm old woman.
“What is it, Granny?”
“M-Margareta… our Margareta…”
Ingrid collapsed, her face twisted in despair.
Avalkin felt a chill.
“Calm down. What happened to Margareta?”
Ingrid finally spoke, broken.
“She… she ate hemlock…”
Both Avalkin and Belakshina froze.
Hemlock.
A deadly poison among poisons—one with no antidote.
“Where is she now?”
“Lord! Lord!”
Redek’s footsteps followed immediately. He rushed in, carrying Margareta on his back.
“Transform into a unicorn! Quickly! She ate it a while ago!”
He laid the unconscious girl down in front of Avalkin.
The only hope was his unicorn magic.
But Avalkin’s face was dark.
“…It’s impossible.”
He could only transform once per day.
