Chapter 30 Part 5: I, The Archduchess of Elchen

In the morning, the stables of the inner castle.

It is filled with not-so-pleasant smells.

The smell of damp hay, the smell of horse manure.

Even in a well-maintained stable, such smells are inevitable.

“Oh my. Have you come again today?”

Bender, the stable master of the inner castle, was apologetic and at a loss for what to do.

“I’ll come again tomorrow.”

It’s good that she’s showing interest.

But the Archduchess, who is of a very noble status, was visiting this place for several days in a row.

‘Well, well..’

Something is different.

It wasn’t the image of the Archduchess that Bender generally thought of.

Still, it’s not a bad thing.

‘It’s rather good.’

The moment Bender thought so.

“Heeek-!”

Such a sound is heard.

Bender hurriedly ran to the Archduchess.

The horse with the black mane beyond the fence snorted.

The one who made the sound was the handmaiden, Reina.

She was temporarily assigned to be the Archduchess’s exclusive handmaiden.

On the other hand, the Archduchess was calmer than expected.

“There, there, good boy.”

She was bringing the back of her hand to the horse.

‘She really learns quickly.’

Bender inwardly admired.

There was nothing more to teach.

It seems that the horse also likes Her Highness.

“Your Highness. I think. It seems that he already likes Your Highness.”

“Oh.. really..?”

At Rosa’s question, Bender nodded.

Flicking is a common habit of horses.

But now his tail is wagging widely from side to side.

“Besides, isn’t he shaking his head up and down as if he wants to be petted?”

It was certain.

The horse shook its head with a gentle look in its eyes.

“It seems that Your Highness’s efforts are finally paying off.”

The handmaiden Reina said with a smile.

‘How can she be so calm?’

The Archduchess seemed different day by day.

Recently, the Archduke was busy.

He was really busy.

So the Archduchess came here alone for a few days.

Of course, with her handmaiden.

That’s Rosa’s recent morning routine.

With the help of the stable master Bender, she was getting close to the horse.

In fact, the horse was bigger than Rosa thought.

At first, she was frightened by its size.

“It’s called a cold-blooded breed. It’s a breed that grew up in a cold and harsh environment.”

The horses of Elchen are particularly large and heavy.

Instead, they have a gentle personality, so it’s easy to get close to them, Bender explained.

“Basically, they are very timid animals. They have a blind spot in their field of vision in the front, so it’s better to approach from the side as much as possible.”

It is forbidden to stare directly into the horse’s eyes or to approach from the front.

“The horse may perceive it as an intention to attack.”

Since it’s an animal with a sensitive sense of smell, you should first get it used to the smell.

“As you did earlier. You should bring the back of your hand close and wave it.”

After that, it’s simple.

You put food like carrots or sugar cubes on the palm of your hand and carefully get close to the horse.

‘As they say, there’s no general in front of food.’

Food is the best way to get close to animals.

Bender was truly an expert on horses.

With his help, Rosa got close to the horse for a few days.

Black mane, brown body, and white fur on its four legs like shoes.

Overall, it looks elegant and pretty, but surprisingly, it’s a male.

“Well.. this guy. He’s not normally like this.”

Bender shook his head as if he didn’t understand.

It is said that the horse is almost the leader in the castle stable.

It was a horse with a particularly violent and powerful personality.

“Lactea. Good boy?”

Of course, when Rosa sees it, it’s just a pretty horse like its name.

“Can’t I try riding it soon?”

At Rosa’s question, Bender 고민 for a long time.

Then he nodded.

“Well.. You’ll need the Archduke’s permission..”

You’ve become close enough to the horse.

And if you’re with the Archduke.

“It’s probably possible.”

At that, Rosa clapped her hands in excitement.

“Nice-!”

Clap clap-

Reina matched the beat awkwardly.

‘What does nice mean?’

Without knowing at all.

The sky was cloudy.

It was a sudden rain.

The drizzling rain fell on the wet ground.

“It seems like spring is coming. Your Highness.”

It was Reina’s voice.

She became Rosa’s temporary exclusive handmaiden a few days ago.

Rosa chose her herself after the tea party.

“I guess so? If it was cold, it would have fallen as snow.”

Maybe it’s because she’s like a younger sister, or maybe it’s because her youthful heart is showing.

Reina finds the Archduchess, who often goes out to the balcony, cute for some reason.

It’s the same now.

She went out to the balcony again and stretched out her hand to get rained on.

“Your Highness. Are you waiting for the Archduke?”

At her question, the Archduchess was flustered.

“..Huh?”

At first, she seems to want to shake her head.

“I guess so. It’s raining a lot.”

What does that mean, I guess so?

The worry is clearly visible just by looking at her expression.

“Don’t worry. Your Highness. It’s quite common in Elchen.”

Reina offered her own comfort.

“Actually, it’s been unusually clear these days. As the Archduke has been here for a long time, he must be used to the sudden rain.”

“Well.. I guess so?”

Rosa knows that too.

But if you get rained on while wearing armor, it will be quite uncomfortable.

And she’s worried about him catching a cold.

“Reina. Can you prepare a towel?”

She was truly a versatile Highness.

In the stable earlier, she showed a calm and lively appearance at the same time.

But at times like this, she is also infinitely calm and feminine.

‘At this rate, even if it’s an arranged marriage, how can the Archduke not fall for her?’

Thinking so, Reina withdrew.

“Of course. Your Highness. I’ll prepare a warm, dry one.”

‘Thank you.’

“”

“Oh right..”

Reina said as if she had forgotten.

“Your Highness. The month is ending soon. So the date for your wedding night has been set..”

Cough cough-

Rosa coughed.

Startled, the tea she had just sipped was sprayed out.

“Oh my-“

Reina immediately ran over.

“I’ll clean it up.”

“I should be the one doing this as your exclusive handmaiden.”

Rosa was at a loss with an apologetic face, but Reina smiled as if she understood everything.

‘Oh my. She must be so happy..?’

It’s understandable since it’s a newlywed, but.

Reina, who soon cleaned up the floor, got up.

“You haven’t been able to spend time together lately. The wedding night is on the last day of this year.”

The last day of this year.

It coincides with next week’s lantern festival.

The wedding night was the most auspicious day of the month, carefully chosen by the handmaiden department considering various factors.

“Still, if you two want to change it.. Please discuss it with the Archduke and let me know. Then see you tomorrow! Your Highness.”

“Yes. Good work.”

Rosa saw off the handmaiden with an awkward face.

The smell of wet rain rises.

Horseshoes were buried in the mud.

Clip-clop-

Knights wearing black armor and fur cloaks rode their horses up the slope of the inner castle.

The ivory main tower begins to appear.

The gates of the inner castle were wide open.

“Good work.”

Cayron got off his horse.

Pavel, his staff officer, approached him.

“Then I will proceed as you instructed in advance. Please take good care of yourself.”

Cayron nodded silently.

For the past few days, something has been bothering him.

He hasn’t been able to watch over Rosa’s riding at all.

At least the recent rain was a suitable excuse.

But Rosa is always waiting for him.

“You’re here?”

Rosa approached him.

Water dripped from Cayron’s hair.

A moderately dry and warm towel gently wiped his forehead.

“Oh my.. You got all wet.”

Rosa grumbled for no reason.

Cayron answered as if making an excuse.

“It was a sudden shower.”

“You should have prepared in advance.”

Rosa thought to herself.

‘Even if there are no umbrellas, there are things like hoods.’

Cayron laughed lowly and faintly.

Rosa is the only one who gives him such nagging.

‘If it wasn’t Rosa..’

He would never have experienced such an emotion.

“Give me your cloak. Your Highness.”

Hamel approached the two.

The butler had a full smile on his face at the usual appearance of the Archduke and his wife.

Cayron handed over his wet cloak and at the same time lifted Rosa in front of him.

“Hey.. You’re all wet!”

Because of that, Rosa’s clothes got wet too.

Rosa was dumbfounded, but Cayron put her down and chuckled.

“Revenge for the nagging.”

And he strode past Rosa.

Rosa bit her lip and followed closely behind him.

“Hey, do you really want to get hit..?”

Cayron answered.

“Bear with it. We have to eat dinner. And we have to wash up.”

Rosa eventually sighed.

“Yeah. Let’s just eat dinner.”

In fact, Rosa was secretly relieved that Cayron was joking like this.

Something was a little different.

About Cayron for the past few days.

After all, he went out wearing armor instead of formal clothes today.

‘Surely, something different from usual happened..’

But it’s not yet.

For her to know the details.

‘Let’s get used to this place first and then hear various stories.’

She will ask various questions she is curious about when the time comes.

In the meantime, the two arrived in front of the door, and Cayron, who was lost in thought, said to her.

“Go into your room and rest for a while.”

Rosa’s footsteps, which were naturally going to enter Cayron’s room, stopped.

“Really? You don’t need my help?”

“You are all wet inside too. Alone is enough.”

After all, he’s not a child.

It’s an excuse he made up to make time to be together.

Actually, Cayron is quite good at untying cravat knots.

Of course, he’s also good at tying them himself.

Still, Rosa, pure as white snow, thinks that he really needs her help.

“Okay.”

Since he says so.

Rosa, who soon agreed, headed to her room.

“Then call me when it’s time for dinner.”

“Alright.”

And so the two entered their respective rooms.

Cayron, who entered the room alone.

His expression gradually sank.

They are moving as he expected.

He hasn’t completely taken over Elchen yet.

Originally, the most difficult prey is a rat that has hidden in a rat hole.

These days, Cayron was directly picking out the remaining remnants of the rebels.

Thud-

He locked the door.

Sometimes there are scenes that you don’t want to show to anyone.

‘Especially to Rosa..’

Absolutely.

In fact, it has always been like this for the past few years.

Old habits always stayed with him.

Cayron is the type of person who can only be relieved when he takes action himself.

He always stood at the forefront of the battlefield.

There were about six or seven places.

Places where the rebels are presumed to be hiding.

Cayron attacked one of them today, and only twenty knights were with him.

As a result of such a reckless and গোপনে move, he obtained unusual information.

Two or three of the surrendered families.

They were plotting something.

It was written in slang, and most of it was burned, so he couldn’t know the exact identity and details.

Still.

‘I can’t let my guard down.’

Cayron tightened the strings of tension again.

Now Elchen is not just a home.

It is the land that must be the most peaceful and safe to live with Rosa.

So Cayron has been particularly overdoing it lately.

He wanted to finish everything as soon as possible.

‘And then..?’

It’s still a distant story.

But Rosa is never missing from any plan he draws.

Right next to him was a large window.

The forehead reflected in the window suddenly frowned in pain.

Broad shoulders, an upper body covered with lean muscles.

However, dark blood seeped out from the open gap.

Surprisingly, countless stab wounds remained on Cayron’s entire upper body.

At first glance, it is a bizarre and desperate sight, literally deeply colored scars.

Wounds from being stabbed by swords, spears, and blades.

Cut wounds, even burn marks.

Surprisingly, the most intact places are the arms and hands.

It was a stroke of luck.

Cayron stared at himself in the window for a moment, then dropped his gaze to the ground.

The demon of the battlefield, the cursed prince.

Such titles are indeed not an exaggeration.

Even now.

Look at his open wound leaning against the window, slowly healing itself.

A faint moan leaked from Cayron’s tightly closed lips.

Red, hot energy.

It sweeps over the area where his wound is.

Getting wounded, and being healed again.

That is his ability, which is like a curse.

That doesn’t mean he doesn’t feel pain at all.

Countless traces of death on his upper body.

There are times when he thought of giving up for each of those traces.

‘Still..’

There are no regrets.

Thanks to that, he got the most valuable reward.

But until then, Cayron didn’t know at all.

That he had forgotten something important.

That there is one more door besides the one he locked, which is connected to Rosa’s room.

Thud-

The door opened.

Rosa’s expression when she had entered the room gradually hardened.

Cayron bit his lip in frustration.