C115
The skewered meat was truly delicious. Lariette, who originally ate one or two at most, had to inhale up to five today before coming to her senses. To be exact, the skewered meat always tasted the same, and this was due to Lariette's appetite. Having finished the last skewer with evident satisfaction, she smiled fiercely and said:
"I have to eat Delphasa meat later, so I don't have to eat so much."
"...If that's a good idea."
Gerard politely responded with a throbbing question, "Do you eat and eat like this?" Although he couldn't tell a pregnant woman 'you eat too much.'
"Shall we take a walk to digest the food?"
"Yes."
He quickly followed her steps. She now felt at ease because she could appear without hiding. While Gerard trailed behind her with his large frame, Lariette looked back with wide-open eyes.
"Why would you walk behind? Walk beside me; it's nice to chat and take a stroll together."
"Uh... I prefer this."
"Come here."
"Yes."
He, who had always followed Asrahan, felt embarrassed by the proposal to walk side by side.
"What the hell am I supposed to talk about with my lord's lady?"
He was skilled at using his body and not so good at talking. But the Lady Duchess dared not close her mouth when he asked to chat with her. Gerard urgently searched for something to talk about. At that moment, he remembered Melissa telling him to mention something that had been frequently discussed recently.
"The wedding is just around the corner. How are you preparing?" He smiled awkwardly and asked. He truly hoped that Lariette wouldn't realize how uncomfortable he felt.
"Yes, I have a wedding dress, and I'm preparing for the ceremony... now all I have to do is get married."
Lariette recalled weeks of hardships with a smile. She had to prepare for the wedding while suffering from morning sickness, so she didn't know how busy she was. Asrahan suggested delaying the ceremony out of concern for her health, but Lariette shook her head. It was because she didn't want to celebrate in that condition. The preparations were completed smoothly thanks to the hard work of the experts hired by Hallstein and the Duke. It would have been too much to invite only acquaintances to celebrate a small ceremony, but it would have been too grand and colorful as Hallstein desired.
"When do you want to get married, milady?"
"I'm not going to see anyone, haha."
When Lariette asked him, Gerard pretended to cry, pretending to be sad without reason, and then a mischievous voice was heard.
"You have someone you like."
"What? What, someone I like?"
"Sir Melissa."
At that moment, Gerard became a mushy mute. But soon, it was he who burst into laughter.
"Oh, of course. I love and respect him; he's my assistant."
He was tired of hearing this not once or twice. Gerard cleverly waved his hands. Lariette smiled, silently looking at him, without adding anything. It was a smile that meant she knew he was trembling for nothing. Gerard unknowingly shivered at the sight of her seeing through him. He pursed his lips for a while and then asked carefully.
"...Do you notice it a lot?"
"A little."
"The Lord has seen me for years, but he doesn't know..."
"Because he's Asrahan."
Well, there's no way the Lord is interested in your love life. Gerard recalled that his head thought so, while the other servants of 'La Noche' constantly questioned their relationship. Gerard always joked, and Melissa was always bitter, so expectations quickly dwindled. But for Lariette, who was always closely escorted by Gerard or Melissa, there was a strange air flowing between them. In particular, Gerard used to look at Melissa at every opportunity, so she couldn't help but notice.
"Sir Melissa also seemed a little interested."
"Really? Melissa?"
"Well, it's just my opinion. I think it's possible."
The conversation, which started with Lariette's wedding, quickly led to Gerard giving love advice. As if he was uncomfortable, he asked Lariette about women's psychology and sought advice on how to impress Melissa, and she sincerely responded with gratitude to those who always protected her.
After walking for a long time, they ended up quite far from the new city without realizing it. It was only then that Gerard stopped talking and looked around. It was a deserted alley, just as he was about to suggest going back, he heard a dull sound from somewhere. Gerard was very aware of the sound. He had been wielding a sword his whole life, so he couldn't help but recognize it. The sound of a fight, to be exact, someone being attacked unilaterally.
"Gerard, did you hear that?"
"Yes, we've gone too far. Let's go back now."
"I think someone is in danger. Let's go."
Lariette also turned her head and found the direction of the sound, seemingly because she heard it. But Gerard's reaction was quite cold.
"No, no."
"What?"
"I can't take the Lady to dangerous places. You're not alone, are you?"
Lariette stared at Gerard from a distance. Gerard was right. There were precious children in her stomach, so she had to be more careful. She moved her hesitant lips, she couldn't risk the children to help strangers. It was something she didn't have to worry about for a long time, a long time. So Lariette looked directly at Gerard and spoke up.
"You have to protect what you do. Now, you're alone."
She knew this would happen. Gerard lamented as if he was talking to himself. Lariette returned the smile and responded in a charming manner.
"If it sounds dangerous, I'll run, I swear. So let's go! I won't get killed!"
"Phew... it's a promise."
Gerard sighed for a long while and moved towards the place where the sound was heard. The sound of blades soon filled the streets, as Lariette had said, he was truly attacking with the power to kill. Shortly after turning the corner, three armed men were seen recklessly attacking a man. It was assumed that the three were unidentified as they wore black masks, and the victim was being beaten without being able to do anything, without defense or rebellion.
"Stay where you are."
Gerard quickly left those words and lunged at the unidentified men, the sound of sharp blades soon flooded the streets.
"Well, well, who dares to...!" The gunman, who was cut on the shoulder, muttered insults and quickly defended himself. He had quite some talent, as his movements were swift, and the tip of his sword aimed accurately at Gerard.
Well, at least.
Gerard snorted and easily dodged the attack. At the same time, he brandished his sword and slashed the chests of the other two. No matter how skilled the unidentified men were, they couldn't keep up with Gerard's pace. Because he is Asrahan Candel's strongest sword. Realizing that the situation had been resolved, Lariette peered out from behind the wall. There was already a lot of blood on the ground from the unidentified men. She looked at the mysterious man who had already fallen dead and turned to the poor victim. The silver-haired man slowly looked back, feeling her gaze. Then, his round violet eyes quickly turned into shock.
"...Doha?"
It was because she couldn't even imagine meeting Doha here.
-----------------------
Doha was living the life of a fugitive. It had been a long time since he left the temple. First of all, the temple was a terrible place for him, and when he was there, he couldn't bear the thought of hating his mother and talking to Lariette with a smile. Shortly after leaving the temple, he found and killed Hebre, and soon the information became known to everyone. It was a matter of routine; he didn't even think about hiding it in the first place. The whole country was in an uproar over the incident, and it didn't take long for the provocative content to go viral.
"A humble substitute killed a noble substitute."
Doha briefly reflected on himself. The enemy of his parents, who always tried to kill him, was noble just because he was... It was amusing to be judged. Soon, the Pope personally issued a search for Mikhail Dohabellion, saying that he would give a reward just for bringing the body. The apostate with powerful divine power was the greatest threat from the temple's perspective, so they hurried to capture and kill him. So many people aimed for Doha's neck, from the Holy Knights commanded by the temple to bounty hunters seeking rewards, even the remnants followed him. Blood flowed and flowed. It was the blood of the dead on his hands, but for Doha, the thick liquid felt like it had sprung from their hearts. While he had been fleeing for a long time because he didn't want to see any more blood, masked men appeared and pointed at him. They were nothing; he could kill them with just a few strikes. But a question that came to his mind took hold of his body.
"Why do I have to keep running?"
He stood there, stunned, trying to find a reason. However, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't think of anything worthy.
"What does it mean for my life?"
The reason to run, the reason to survive. He couldn't find it, so he made a decision. If he got hit, he would die. It would be much happier to simply die than to live with terrible pain and regret after not aging or dying for many years. So he accepted the knife tips of the unidentified men. His skin was sore and cut, but it was better than enduring the pain of living. But contrary to the wind, a knight who had seen him everywhere burst in and killed the masked man. As soon as he frowned and turned his head, the face he thought he would never see again was in his sight.
"...Doha?"
It was Lariette, and the timing was terrible. If he had met her before Duke Candel, their time would have been faster. How much he wished and regretted not taking her hand back then, and when he tried to sever the world, he forcibly dragged her into it. Nothing could have been as cruel as that.
"...Lies," Doha murmured, sighing.
In his dizzy head, words of resentment hung around him. Perhaps it was more terrible for him, if he hadn't known her, if he hadn't felt the warmth, he would have lived his entire life without experiencing this loneliness or suffering. It's just, his whole life... but Doha knew that if he hadn't, his life would have been devoid of joy and love. That his life would have been much darker, much more boring than it is now. He hated Lariette so much, he knew it wasn't her fault, but he couldn't bear the hatred.
But in the moment he saw her, a few words from his heart were what he thought. "I missed you, Rie, so much that I wished for your death, I missed you."
"Don't come any closer!"
Having identified Doha, Gerard quickly blocked his path. His face was pale with fear. The three unidentified men Gerard had just dealt with didn't scare him, but Mikhail Dohabellion was different. He was a man whose victory or defeat was unclear even when competing with his master. Perhaps the strongest on this continent, it was nearly impossible to keep Lariette safe from a man like him. However, contrary to his expectations, Doha said nothing, he stood still and looked at Lariette. She faced Doha in a tense state, afraid that he might try to kidnap her. She hated him for attacking Asrahan. But at the same time... it was heartbreaking. The memories with him were still vivid, which made it even more torn.
"Don't come near me, Doha. Because I'm still afraid of you."
However, the attitude was clear no matter what was on her mind. Lariette had to protect her body, her children. She couldn't sadden Asrahan anymore. Doha nodded as if he knew, he trembled his lips for a long time and said with a tearful voice.
"...I'm sorry."
It was heartbreaking to see Lariette's beautiful face distorted because of him. He despised himself terribly for putting his ill wishes before the well-being of his loved one's physician. Amidst this, his desire to embrace her was the most cursed.
"I'm sorry, Rie."
Hot liquid flowed. He thought it would be blood, but the drops on the ground were transparent. Lariette gritted her teeth as he apologized with tears. Her heart felt numb.
"Someone who was my friend and master."
The playful laughter was still clear. Sometimes, the bad memories with him were just nightmares, so when she woke up, she thought he would come and say:
"Did you have that dream?"
"Perhaps it is you who healed me."
It was even more so because she knew this. On the day a priest healed her to clear Asrahan's suspicions, the priest said this to Lariette.
"There is a trace of a twisted circuit, I suppose it worked naturally. I'm so happy. Healing would have been very difficult if it hadn't twisted at a natural level. It could have become an incurable disease."
She felt goosebumps all over her body. Because Lokadurah was a terminal illness. She also remembered the conversation she had with Zakaskov.
"I have checked it several times. The mana circuit that was bound now is very orderly."
"Does the twisted thing come out naturally?"
"It's not impossible. Naturally, of course, you can't touch the Mana circuit if you're not as powerful as the Pope."
There was only one papal power around her, Doha. That meant he saved her life.
"Thank you for saving my life, Doha. I'm still afraid of you and I hate you, but... but there are many things I'm grateful for."
Lariette took a careful step and approached Doha. Gerard tried to stop her, but she silently shook her head. It doesn't change her position if Doha decides. Gerard also bit his lip because he knew her.
"I said healing or purification magic is fine."
Healing and purification power is said to be similar to holy power, so it doesn't fatigue the child. But just in case, she moved her mana very carefully. Soon, in front of Doha, Lariette slowly extended her hand. When her palm touched near his solar plexus, the power of white healing spread. The scars on Doha's body slowly disappeared.
"Then, you... Doha, I want you to be happy."
Lariette truly hated him, but that's how sad she was. It was sad that there was no one by her side, and she sincerely hoped that someday he would be happy. But that person cannot be her. What happened was in the past, and the wrong relationship had become irreparable again.
"Where I am not."
Doha stood in front of her and stared at the woman who was looking at him. His vision was blurry because tears kept flowing. So Lariette smiled sadly and concluded her speech.
"So let's never meet again."
After a brief farewell, she turned around. Doha smiled as if he was about to cry behind her as she walked away. There was a contradiction in Lariette's harsh words. His life without her would never be happy, but he can't complain anymore now that he has encountered those beautiful eyes. Still, Doha had a habitual smile around his mouth and spat out a greeting he will never say again.
"Hello."
"Hello, Rie. Hello, my lady."
Tags:
ITDHL (Novel)