TNLA 40

Chapter 40

He could sense it.

Even without seeing, he could know. Something stronger than instinct, intense and unwavering, confirmed that the trembling white figure was her. His heart raced, his breathing grew rough. His hands clenched into fists on their own.

Even if it wasn’t a clear view of her face, seeing her after so long made him take a deep breath.

She was approaching the balcony door.

A curse slipped out without him realizing it.

The way she limped and staggered made her look anything but whole. Not just her body, but her spirit must be broken too. He knew better than anyone what state she might be in inside, how she might be wasting away.

Rage surged. He wanted to storm in immediately. But reason held him back—he knew that doing so would only result in a pointless death, showing her his own demise.

…That was absolutely forbidden. Absolutely. In a past life, what decisively killed her was the sight of that guard dying. He would never repeat that mistake.

Suppressing his anger for a moment, he watched the balcony, holding his breath, thinking that perhaps she might open the door.

Just as the door was about to open slightly, another figure appeared from behind, snatched her, and disappeared inside.

It felt as if someone had gripped his heart, and his teeth ground together. Veins bulged on his clenched fist.

Even after the two figures disappeared completely from view beyond the glass doors, Agen continued glaring at that direction for a long time.

Even though she staggered right in front of him, even though that bastard grabbed her right in front of him, he could do nothing but glare, the disgust and frustration at his own helplessness making his whole body ache.

He had no choice but to calm himself and take deep breaths. Skilled knights surrounded and guarded the place; if he let his guard down even slightly, someone would notice his presence.

Still… she was alive.

Alive. At least for now… he had seen her.

Suppressing his anger while clenching his fists, he quietly leapt from the tree and vanished into the darkness.

Her hand was just about to touch the balcony handle.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

A strong arm wrapped around her waist from behind, gently yet firmly pulling her back.

Her back pressed against Kashien’s chest, and his warm breath touched the back of her neck.

Her hand, which had reached for the handle, froze midair, slowly falling away as if a flower petal wilting.

“Shall we watch the moon together? Hmm?”

She could feel Kashien’s lips move against her neck. She remained motionless.

Neither of them believed she had gone to the balcony for romantic reasons. They both knew the real purpose, but Arlen didn’t want to say it, and Kashien didn’t want to hear it.

Bathed in moonlight, the two standing there embraced, and to an outside observer, it might have looked romantic.

Kashien pressed his nose to her hair for a moment, then glanced at the glass door. For a while, he faced the unseen beyond, then lightly lifted her—weightless as if she barely existed—and carried her to the bed.

She no longer trembled when he touched her, nor struggled in his arms. Like a doll unaware of anything happening, she simply went limp, surrendering her body to gravity.

When he laid her on the bed, she instinctively turned to show her back. Kashien sat beside her, running his fingers through her hair, waiting silently.

She would fall asleep soon.

Being conscious itself was exhausting for her. In a little while, she would be asleep.

Sure enough, not long after, she fell asleep.

Once he confirmed she was asleep, he strode to open the door. The knight waiting outside immediately saluted.

“Strengthen the guards outside. Have the knights patrol. If there’s any trace of someone, track them.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“And find the maid who didn’t properly lock the balcony door today. Detain her.”

Watching the knight rush off, he closed the door and returned to the bed.

In the dim moonlight filtering into the room, her silhouette was visible beside him. His hand traced her ear, neck, and shoulder, caressing her along the contours of her fragile frame.

So frail… almost skeletal.

Over the past few months, she had grown weaker and thinner, and what was already slender was now almost weightless.

He knew well how fragile humans were. Few understood it better than Kashien. A person, even with minor injury, could die easily. But this… he realized for the first time, that one could simply fade away without any wounds or illness.

Lately, she had been asleep almost all day, rarely even sitting, let alone standing.

Even though he had seen her limp away somewhere before, he had watched her attempt to open the balcony door quietly. It had been so long since he had seen her act of her own will, though that will always seemed to aim against life itself.

Last summer and fall, during their stay at the duke’s residence in the capital, her condition worsened daily. Doctors changed her medication combinations and scoured medical texts for solutions, but her condition deteriorated.

Several doctors were dismissed and replaced repeatedly. She could barely swallow food or medicine, and the expensive remedies prescribed by new doctors often went unused.

Anxious doctors suggested she return to her southern homeland before winter, fearing her weakened body wouldn’t survive the cold and that recuperating in a familiar environment might help, since the root of her illness was psychological.

“Perhaps the mental shock is simply too great…”

The doctor had trailed off, embarrassed.

Even Kashien, unshaken in bloody battlefields, could hardly comprehend it.

‘I suppose small, delicate creatures can die of fright,’ he thought.

She was small, fragile, and delicate.

He briefly regretted not sparing at least one caretaker or not saying such things aloud, but it was too late.

Ultimately, he brought her to Shuel despite the Crown Prince’s pleas for her to stay in the capital. Yet she showed no real improvement. Even in the familiar environment, sometimes she appeared worse.

Despite filling the table with nutritious food and providing medicines from all famous doctors, she only grew weaker.

How could he keep her here?

He entwined his arms and legs around her small body, trapping her in his embrace. Holding her tightly, her frail form sank into him.

She didn’t flinch. No reaction, as if dead.

Yet she was alive in his arms. Her skin soft and fragrant, her veins faintly pulsing with warmth. Her tiny heart struggled within her chest.

…Even if you die, I won’t let go of your body.

“My lord, the Crown Prince has sent another dispatch. This time, you must go to the capital.”

Kashien tapped his fingers on the desk. His brows furrowed, displeased. But he trusted that his lord would agree that he must go to the capital. Though leaving her side would be unpleasant…

His obsession with that woman had been known since their time in the north.

Yet, he was never blinded or foolish because of it. He knew he needed power to keep her with him.

Though Hard didn’t understand why his lord was so fixated on this dying woman, he accepted it as necessary. In securing her, his lord had ascended closer to the pinnacle of authority.

“Prepare to depart tomorrow afternoon. Take ten knights; leave the rest behind.”

“…Yes, my lord.”

Though displeased, Hard expected such orders. If she disappeared, it would be troublesome; his lord would abandon everything else and chase her, just as he had last summer.

“My lord,”

Kashien paused and looked at Hard.

“This may seem presumptuous, but I need to plan ahead. Will you… accept this lady as Duchess?”

“…Hmm…”

Kashien stopped, thinking.

“…I have no objection. It’s a practical way to absorb the remaining vassals and subjects of the Duchy of Luthern without resistance.”

Although Hard disliked her and had better candidates, if he couldn’t remove his lord’s obsession, it was better to incorporate it into his plans. As always.

“As you know, the Luthern dukes are ancient, and the populace loyal. Public opinion favored the princess. Historically, after a regime change, the new king marrying the previous king’s daughter minimized resistance. But you should notify us in advance to plan accordingly…”

Unexpectedly, his lord did not nod.

“Well.”

“So…?”

“There is no other Duchess besides her.”

“…Ah.”

Hard nodded, unsurprised. Yet what followed was unexpected.

“However, she need not necessarily occupy the position of Duchess.”

“…Pardon?”