Chapter 322

EPISODE 322 – AS YOU PLEASE (3)

The next afternoon.

At Kalium, the royal capital of the Sälen Kingdom.

Count Chase looked at a distance and had a pleased smile.

“What’s wrong? Did something good happen?”

At Count Bayer’s question, Count Chase smiled again and shook his head.

“It’s nothing special. However…”

Count Chase whose words trailed off in the end smiled again.

He was like the embodiment of strictness and sternness, so it was very rare for him to smile like this in succession.

“Strangely, I can’t stop smiling. It feels like… something that I’ve always wanted has finally come true.”

“Hmm… I see. But you’ve always had good senses. Maybe something good has happened to Jude or Cordelia.”

“Maybe.”

Up to this day, a part of his mind was troubled when he thought about the two traveling around the empire, but he was sure that they would do well wherever they go.

Count Chase composed himself with a smile and looked forward again.

The garden of the detached palace where they had stayed last year for the founding celebration was also beautiful this year.

‘It’s war, huh?’

King Henry II of the Sälen Kingdom made an astonishing claim based on the ‘heavenly voice’ that Princess Daphne could hear.

The empire was about to start a civil war, and the House of Lords had already been taken over by the demon followers.

The empress dowager who served as a regent of the empire could also hear a heavenly voice like Crown Princess Daphne, so the kingdom and the empire must work together to annihilate the demon followers.

It was an unbelievable story.

But it was not unbelievable either.

There was already an example in the kingdom – the Lord Protector.

Even the kingdom’s hero who devoted his life to protecting the Sälen Kingdom eventually failed to resist the temptations of the demon followers and became corrupted, so it was possible for the Imperial Chancellor to be a demon follower too.

‘An alliance through the heavenly voice…’

Henry II and Crown Princess Daphne claimed that the heavenly voice came from the distant Heaven, the home of several gods including the sun goddess Solari.

It was not an unbelievable story.

The Sälen royal family was a so-called holy family because they strongly inherited the blood of Founder King Lion who was a demigod.

Because of that, everyone was born with a special ability, so it was not surprising that Crown Princess Daphne had such an ability to hear a heavenly voice.

If it was a demonly voice, the Guardians of the Holy Cross who were all over the royal capital would have already gotten rid of the voice itself.

‘But only the heavenly voice wants an alliance.’

He did not know how it looked like through the eyes of gods, but it did not change the fact that the kingdom and the empire were enemies.

It was possible to temporarily hold hands but impossible to permanently enjoy peace in the future since they were enemies who had fought over the Cilates Plains for more than a hundred years.

‘What matters is after the civil war.’

Coincidentally, the land controlled by the House of Lords, their enemy, shared borders with the Sälen Kingdom.

In other words, the House of Lords was in between the forces of the emperor in the northern part and the forces of the Sälen Kingdom in the southern part.

Thus, it was possible for both sides to press the House of Lords.

The emperor’s forces only had to move south and the kingdom had to move north.

But what would happen after the civil war?

Would the Sälen king return to the emperor the imperial land that they occupied during the civil war?

From here on out was a handover problem.

And Count Chase thought that a long or short war with the empire would continue.

“It’s obvious what you’re thinking about when you’re thinking so deeply.”

At the words of Count Bayer, Count Chase snorted and searched his pocket.

“Stop talking nonsense and be prepared. Tonight will also be a war.”

What Count Chase was talking about was the ticket to participate in one of the royal capital’s attractions, the Medb Auction House.

Although they were northern nobles whose power in the royal capital was weak, the Medb Auction House required a ticket to participate which even the heads of the 12 northern families who were famous and strong could not easily get.

“I’ll give it to you if I get it, but is there anything you would like to get?”

“This is probably the last auction before the war. I’d like to get a few things.”

“Hmm…”

Are you going to buy sexual enhancers again?

Count Bayer also wanted to have grandchildren, so he had no intention of stopping Count Chase.

‘I just don’t think it’s necessary.’

After their last battle in the royal capital, Gaël became a man with physical abilities that was comparable to those of beastkin.

One could say that he became similar to the divine creature Fenrir from the southern legends.

‘They didn’t come out for three days after their first night…’

Count Bayer was more worried about Adelia rather than Gaël.

As the two counts continued their thoughts, a familiar voice was heard from behind them.

“Lord Bayer.”

“Maja?”

Maja Tantalotte.

She was a Bayer family maid whom one could say was the person who actually raised Jude from childhood.

But now, she was the housekeeper of Count August Bayer and one of the most influential figures on Mount Damos.

However, from Count Bayer’s perspective, she was somehow like a daughter whom he had not seen for a long time.

A smile naturally spread as he was glad to see her.

“It’s been a long time.”

“Yes, I’m glad that you look healthy.”

Actually, it had not been that long.

He had seen her at Gaël’s wedding.

But Count Bayer was still glad to see her, so his smile remained even as Maja politely greeted Count Chase.

‘Come to think of it, Maja also needs to find a husband.’

It was not because he cherished Maja, but because she was truly as beautiful as a flower. Although her impression was a bit cold, she was warm-hearted, so whoever she met would be loved and live well.

‘Hmm…’

I wonder if there’s a good guy out there.

While Count Bayer was troubled like a father, Count Chase asked a more realistic question.

“But why are you here? Even with Dahlia.”

In fact, it was not strange for the two to move together.

Since Dahlia was the knight commander of the August counts, Jude and Cordelia, who ruled together, it was natural for her to move together to protect Maja, the housekeeper and an influential person.

“Well, it’s because… the young master had a request, so I came here to see you two.”

“Jude?”

“Yes, there’s something he left to me before he headed off.”

To be exact, what he had left was a letter on his desk.

“What is it?”

At Count Chase’s urging, Maja gracefully pulled out a small pouch from her pocket.

“He left a letter asking me to open it in front of the two counts if a certain situation happens.”

If Cordelia was present, she would have asked “Is he Zhuge Liang or Cao Cao?”, but no one here knew about the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

“Jude did?”

“That kid…”

However, the two counts did not take it lightly as they already knew about how extraordinary Jude was.

Count Chase then asked before opening the pouch.

“What situation was he talking about?”

“When the tension between the empire and the kingdom intensified. When rumors of the empire’s civil war broke out, and when contact between the young master and miss who had left for the empire had been cut off for more than a month.”

“I see.”

Had Jude predicted that a civil war would break out in the empire?

“Okay. We’ll open it. Alex?”

“You open it.”

At Count Bayer’s words, Count Chase nodded and took the pouch Maja had placed on her palm.

He opened the pouch as everyone focused on him.

***

“Ah?”

As soon as Cordelia opened her eyes, she let out a dazed sound.

The sky.

A clear sky.

It was afternoon.

It did not seem to be morning, but it was still daytime.

Her head was blank and her whole body felt weak.

She was tiredness itself.

No, it was more like there was nothing left after squeezing her stamina to the limit – that was her state.

The blankly staring Cordelia blinked her eyes and finally recalled what happened.

“Ueueue…”

She had lost consciousness again back then.

She had lost consciousness several times due to the immense pleasure and endless intensity that occurred in succession.

She could not properly remember it because her mind was all jumbled up, but she was certain that it was extremely good.

‘I felt like I was dying.’

It was so good but also so tiring.

“Ueueueue…”

Cordelia who was lying down trembled as she did not even have the strength to stretch her body, but she forced herself to sit up.

But it was at that time.

“My princess, are you awake?”

Cordelia was surprised by the sweet and soft voice, so she turned her head towards the voice and saw Jude approaching her.

‘He’s not tired?’

He was completely fine.

Or rather, he seemed to be overflowing with strength.

His face was also full of vitality.

“Are you hungry? Let’s go eat now.”

Cordelia gently nodded because it was true that she was hungry.

Then Jude gave Cordelia a potion first. It was a fairly strong stamina recovery potion that was terribly expensive but had good effects.

“Fwaaa… I can live now.”

Cordelia said before sitting up. She looked around and saw that it was daytime as she expected and not morning.

“Let’s go. I’ve prepared some easy to digest food.”

He had prepared a low table that came out of nowhere, and served many different kinds of food.

Porridge, soup, grilled, stewed, fried food and so on.

There were lots of food that seemed to be good for the body.

“Hey, isn’t this a mandrake?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“That one is wild ginseng.”

“That’s right too.”

“Is that an eel?”

“Correct.”

“Isn’t this a mushroom said to be very good for the body?”

“You have a good eye. These are all food that’s good for one’s nourishment and strength.”

Cordelia’s eyes narrowed at Jude’s shameless explanation, and Jude said as he stroked her cheek.

“My princess seems to be very weak, so I’ve prepared something special. Let’s eat this and become stronger, okay? Oh, look at how emaciated you are with your sunken cheeks.”

When Jude spoke with a worried expression as if he was saddened, Cordelia spoke coldly instead of shedding tears of emotion.

“Hey, I’m not that weak. You’re just incredibly strong, okay?”

The characters from Kajsa’s book… they may be fictional but they’re not as good as you, okay?

And who made me emaciated?

Who? Who made me emaciated!

Hearing Cordelia’s reasonable protests, Jude took a spoonful of porridge and held it out to Cordelia.

“Here, say ‘ah.’ Ah.”

“Ah, seriously.”

Why are you doing this?

Still, I want to open my mouth.

Cordelia glanced around to see if there was anyone around before opening her mouth wide.

Melissa wanted to say that she was present, but kept her mouth shut for fear that Cordelia might die of shame if she did.

Anyway, the ah’s continued.

“Yes, yes, eat well. My baby is eating well.”

You serious?

I let you do it and you’re saying that now?

But apart from being annoyed, her heart began to strangely pound again.

As if she found the current situation to be very enjoyable.

“Come on, one more bite.”

Jude scooped it out and Cordelia ate.

Perhaps because she was hungry, she felt like it went straight into her stomach as soon as she ate it.

And when she had finally finished eating.

Jude asked as he wiped Cordelia’s mouth with a handkerchief.

“How do you feel? Is the medicine working?”

It seemed like he had put some medicine on the food.

“Umm… somehow?”

She definitely felt like her strength had returned.

If this was a game, it was like she had slept in an inn or drank a full recovery potion.

“Hmm, that’s good. Let’s exercise and eat more food that’s good for our bodies to build up our stamina.”

“Can’t we… just use recovery magic?”

Like using and together.

Jude’s eyes lit up at her suggestion that she made without much thought. Embarrassed by this, Cordelia stuttered.

“N-no, later. Yes, later.”

Not now but later.

What’s good is good, but I feel like I’m somehow being dragged along by him.

You can say that it feels like I’m the only one suffering.

‘I can’t lose.’

I can’t be the only one suffering.

I also need to hone my skills and fight back properly.

At the time when Cordelia’s competitive spirit was strangely lit up and she made up her mind.

“Then should we practice?”

“Huh?”

“Weren’t you just thinking of that?”

Jude said as he hugged her waist. Cordelia came to her senses and realized that he had been sitting close to her.

“No… that… ah! Practice! I should practice. Yes, that’s right. I have to practice for next time.”

“How are you going to practice?”

“Huh?”

“Well, you’re saying that you want to practice. Then how are you going to practice?”

It was a checkmate move.

She could neither do it alone nor do it with someone else.

“Uh… well… uh…”

While hesitating with a blushing face, she was made to lie down again. Jude’s huge body covered the sky.

And she heard a small whisper.

“Do you know… how much I’ve endured?”

From their time in the wild lands up to the present.

Cordelia gulped.

She felt a chill run down her spine. But at the same time, her heart pounded with anticipation and excitement.

“J-just once. Okay?”

We have a lot to do today.

We have to meet the fire fairies and visit the tomb of Gallus.

When Cordelia spoke timidly, Jude lightly bit Cordelia’s ear instead of answering. He stroked Cordelia’s clavicle, making her flinch as he became a beast again.

***

[My successor, you really are a beast.]

Valencia’s words contained sarcasm.

Though it was similar to when she complained about him using two swords at the same time.

She was a bit – no, she was greatly embarrassed and flustered.

But Jude only pretended to listen as he viewed the Tomb of the Star that spread out below the hill.

The sun was slowly setting in the west.

As the sun set once again, the fire fairies gradually appeared, emitting their own light.

‘As I thought… it’s not their usual playing.’

Rather, it seemed like they were guarding the tomb.

‘Waiting was worthwhile.’

In fact, Jude had gone down alone to the Tomb of the Star in the morning while Cordelia was sleeping.

But he could not find the door leading to the tomb of Gallus.

As if it was hidden by a powerful force.

[Hmm… I see. So that’s why you just waited during the day. Am I correct?]

Jude did not respond again to Valencia’s cold words.

He did not want to lie.

Anyway, the time had come and the fairies had appeared, so it was time for them to proceed.

Champion Gallus.

A great knight of the Solari denomination.

The last treasure of the Solari denomination was hidden in his grave.

“I feel a little strange.”

It was Cordelia’s voice.

Standing next to Jude, she tied her hair up and spread her angel wings before she continued speaking.

“It feels… strange.”

They had come this far and acquired many treasures.

They had also found a few hidden places.

But it felt different this time.

It felt like they were approaching a hidden secret.

Like they were opening Pandora’s box.

“Are you okay? Should we rest a little more?”

“I was very tired because of a certain someone, but I’m okay now since I drank a lot of potions.”

“Okay, let’s practice every day from now on.”

At Jude’s mischievous words, Cordelia kicked his butt with her foot before she grasped Moonlight and took a deep breath.

“Let’s go.”

To extort – no, to get the protection from the fairies and open the way to the tomb of Gallus.

And the secret hidden there.

Jude and Cordelia did not delay it any longer. Under the shining moonlight, the two stepped forward together.