IBWMD 121

~Chapter 121~

In the underground prison—no, the underground town—the people of the territory were speaking with worried faces.

“What is going on?”

“It’s lucky His Grace the Grand Duke is coming here…”

“They say in the end, when all the monsters suddenly died, it was because His Grace sent his power from afar?”

“How?”

“Like when he lit the beacon fire during the New Year Festival.”

“So he sent magic power to kill the monsters?”

“Yes, that’s it.”

Hmm. The rushed story spread well.

I wore my hood and stayed in the corner, watching the people’s reactions.

Normally, as the Grand Duchess, I should be comforting them directly, but…

‘Right now, I have something important to discuss.’

Besides, the townspeople had never been officially introduced to me.

People in the Grand Duke’s castle knew me, but most of the townsfolk didn’t even know he was married.

‘And in this situation, a Grand Duchess from the capital isn’t really a good look either.’

So I just observed them quietly.

‘Still…’

It was a relief the people seemed calmer than yesterday.

Also, the rumor I had asked pickpockets to spread worked well.

I spread those rumors on purpose.

‘Because the people of Saint Portu need faith.’

Faith that the Grand Duke of Silence was still protecting them.

‘And more than anything, I didn’t want all the credit to go only to the Holy Knights this time.’

The new recruits, full of passion, fought well.

Except for the traitors, Captain Ista and his Holy Knights came out actively and fought against the monsters.

Their attitude was completely different from the old stationed knights, so even the people began to look at them differently.

‘That’s good, but still…’

If the Holy Knights worked so hard and the Grand Duke stayed silent, the people would surely ask—what was he doing?

‘Then only Karl, who nearly collapsed from fighting, would be unfairly ignored.’

Especially since an assassin was hidden among the Holy Knights.

‘So I hope they understand.’

While thinking this, I turned my gaze.

There was Reyna, smiling as she handed out food to refugee children. Next to her stood the Captain, blankly staring.

‘Strange.’

Usually he looked at Reyna with dreamy eyes, but now his expression was empty, dazed.

‘Was the shock that great?’

I wasn’t the only one watching him.

“Who is that?”

“That armor… isn’t he a Holy Knight?”

The townspeople were openly wary of the Captain in his Holy Knight armor.

But they liked Reyna, who smiled warmly and shared food.

Especially the children, who were honest in front of beauty.

“Miss, are you a princess?”

“I’m not a princess, but I am the Grand Duchess’s sister.”

“The Grand Duchess’s…?”

“His Grace the Grand Duke is married?”

“Shh. It’s a secret, but he will be soon. Only you children know, alright?”

“Okay.”

Because a beautiful woman said it, the children nodded as if enchanted.

“Will you remember? This chocolate and candy also come from the Grand Duchess.”

“Wow!”

“Now you know how much she cares for you, right?”

“Yes!”

“The Grand Duchess must be very kind and beautiful too, right?”

“Yes!”

…Wait, isn’t that the food Reyna had packed to give me from the capital?

Well, we couldn’t finish it all anyway, so it’s better it goes to the children.

‘She’s scoring points for me instead.’

Maybe because of that, I didn’t feel the need to stop her, even though it embarrassed me.

‘…Most of all, she looks fine. That’s good.’

Even after such a big event, Reyna’s smile remained.

Now I no longer needed to worry about her and the Grand Duke. That made her smile even brighter to me.

‘After all, Karl definitely likes me.’

…A lot.

Thinking of that made my chest warm and soft again.

‘But this isn’t the time.’

I was patting my chest when—

“Elaine.”

The Captain, who had been absentmindedly receiving Reyna’s candy, suddenly spotted me.

Even with my hood, he recognized me.

‘As expected of a Captain.’

Reyna recognized me too and gave me a deeper smile.

I smiled back at her and gestured for the Captain to come.

He walked over, his face looking rougher than usual.

“Did you sleep well?”

“I can’t say that I did.”

“Ah. Sorry we erased the Holy Knights’ credit. You must have had a hard night.”

“That… is something I should apologize for instead.”

His face filled with guilt.

“I really didn’t know.”

“……”

“I brought only the new recruits to avoid such things, but…”

“I know. You’re not that kind of man.”

“I also know ignorance isn’t an excuse.”

“That kind of attitude is why I trust you, Captain.”

He gave a bitter smile.

I heard he had personally tied up the traitor sniper who survived—along with the boss’s men who had turned into monsters.

‘The sniper’s arm I shot must hurt badly. But I don’t feel guilty.’

‘Even if he can never use a gun again, it’s his fate.’

While I thought this coldly—

“……”

The Captain moved his lips slowly. I flinched instinctively.

‘That’s his habit before saying something serious.’

What is he about to say?

It felt like I was back when I was his vice-captain.

Holding back a sigh, he finally spoke.

“Elaine.”

“Yes?”

“…I have a confession.”

“Confession?”

That was unexpected.

‘Like in church confession?’

I had confessed my mistakes to the Captain before, but him confessing to me? That was new.

“Yes. I must say it.”

His face was too serious to laugh it off.

So, bewildered, I followed him into a quiet alley.

“W-what are you doing!”

I froze.

Before I could stop him, the Captain knelt down in front of me.

Then he pulled a cross and rosary out of his armor.

‘This is too much!’

No one else would do such a formal confession these days, except maybe him.

It made me feel like I was the sinner.

He clasped his hands together like in prayer, closed his eyes, and said:

“Elaine, the truth is…”

“……”

“When I heard the Grand Duke had been shot…”

His Adam’s apple bobbed with hesitation.

“I thought… maybe it was a good thing for you.”

I froze at the heavy confession.

‘So that’s where this was going.’

I swallowed hard and looked down at him.

“…Why?”

“Because this marriage wasn’t something you wanted.”

“……”

“You were basically forced into it.”

I had no answer.

‘It’s true. I didn’t come here because I wanted marriage.’

I came to take responsibility for my own actions, and to protect Reyna from being the sacrifice.

“So if the Grand Duke died… you’d be free.”

“……”

“That’s what I thought.”

The air grew heavy.

I didn’t even feel like blaming him—

‘Because maybe…’

Back when the Holy Knight aimed a gun at the Grand Duke, and I raised my musket to fire—

‘Did I hesitate?’

I wondered if I could have shot a little sooner, but didn’t.

‘At that time, I didn’t know the Grand Duke was Karl.’

I thought I reacted as fast as I could.

I drew my musket without hesitation and pulled the trigger just a fraction earlier than the enemy.

Or… I thought I did.

Bang!

But the gunshots rang almost at the same time.

‘Maybe I wasn’t faster after all.’

Maybe I hesitated deep inside.

If that hesitation delayed me even a second…

‘I could have lost Karl.’

The person I like so much, the one I treasure—gone forever.

That thought weighed heavily on me.

‘If deep down, I ever wished the Grand Duke would disappear…’

If I had thought I could marry Karl instead, and let the Grand Duke die…

If I ignored his danger because of my selfishness—

I quickly shook off the worst thought.

The Captain, maybe misreading my silence, finally spoke again.

“…So, honestly, I felt relieved.”

“……”

“That you could be free of the Grand Duke.”

His words made my heart jump.

Just imagining Karl’s death stabbed like needles in my chest.

The Captain slowly raised his head and stared at me quietly.

“But… I realized that wasn’t it.”