Chapter 101 - North Korean rabbit

Episode 101

The information about this ruin had reached the Black Mercenary Band about a month ago.

During that time, Arpad had been tracking the whereabouts of the gem blessed by the gods through various channels and had also given orders to the mercenary band.

However, a month ago, Arpad (Gerald) was rather indifferent to the information his adjutant brought him with great excitement.

"We've found information on the location where the divine artifact is sealed!"

"Alright."

"...Pardon?"

"It's no longer needed."

"What? For years, you've been pushing us so hard to find this information. Think of all the money and time we've spent, and now you're saying...?"

"I can't have a need that vanished for your sake suddenly reappear."

"Then, then what are we supposed to do?!"

"Figure it out. Sell it for a decent price."

The adjutant's frustration at that time was immense.

So much so that the band members, accustomed to their captain's dictatorship, sympathized with him.

The adjutant couldn't bear to sell the information, regretting all the hardship endured to obtain it.

And when the captain did a complete 180 and started demanding information on precious gems, he immediately brought this.

"This! This is the information you said you no longer needed back then!!"

The adjutant felt a surge of joy.

Arpad swiftly changed his stance and accepted the information.

"Well done."

Upon hearing this, all the members of the Black Mercenary Band doubted their own hearing.

It was the first time they had heard Gerald praise a subordinate.

There was no time for their awe to linger, because Gerald suddenly spoke.

"An expedition. Assemble a team of seven, only the elite."

"Huh? An expedition where?"

"We're going here."

When Gerald placed down the map of the ruin where the divine artifact was sealed, which the adjutant had presented, the mercenaries' faces turned pale.

The map had an estimated danger rank written on it.

- Danger Rank: S++

And now, the unfortunate mercenaries were being dragged by their captain on a sudden adventure.

Monstrous roars echoed from all directions, and all sorts of traps were triggered.

It was the true meaning of a 'ruin' that had devoured countless adventurers and allowed no one inside.

The adjutant, who had been forced to devise a plan to conquer the ruin within a week and arrange for supplies and equipment, shed tears.

'What kind of chaos is this, really?!'

No one dared to voice an objection in front of the captain, who led the way, unleashing terrifying red sword energy with a fearsome momentum.

*Boom! Crash!*

Gargoyles shattered under the blade Gerald swung.

Gerald charged forward like a rhinoceros horn.

As a result, the party achieved the remarkable feat of finishing the conquest of the ruin a day ahead of Gerald's absurd schedule.

* * *

The night Arpad suddenly left a message for Yulken and disappeared.

For the first time in quite a while, I found myself alone in the bedroom.

It was the first time I had this incredibly wide and large bed all to myself.

"Yahoo!"

I let out a cheer and jumped onto the bed with its amazing cushioning.

Then, hugging a pillow, I rolled around on the bed, thoroughly enjoying my freedom.

Since our marriage, Arpad had been in my sight most of the time—when falling asleep, when briefly waking up, and when getting up.

Every time, Arpad was awake, observing me.

'Even if he has dragon blood and needs less sleep, that was a bit much.'

At first, I even thought he was keeping watch over me.

So, I said this to him:

"Try to sleep more comfortably."

"I am sleeping comfortably."

"You're not sleeping properly because you're on guard, right? Even if you were completely defenseless, I couldn't harm you anyway, so you can relax."

Then, Arpad made an expression as if it were absurd.

"I know that. With those slender wrists of yours, you couldn't kill me even if I offered my neck. Unlike ordinary people, I don't die easily even if stabbed with a sword."

"Then why are you doing that?"

"I've never slept much originally. And..."

Arpad trailed off vaguely.

His expression was so strange that I persistently clung to him and got an answer.

"It's strange."

"Pardon?"

"I'd never even imagined someone lying next to me. It was so unfamiliar and strange... I was watching because it was fascinating."

Surprisingly, in the early days of our marriage (though it's still newlywed now), what Arpad and I felt was similar.

No matter how much he has dragon blood, in the end, a person is a person.

Recently, perhaps Arpad had grown somewhat accustomed, he would sometimes show me glimpses of him sleeping.

Somehow, it felt like gradually taming a fierce beast, which was a little... no, quite satisfying.

Perhaps that's why. Because I had grown quite accustomed to it by now.

This large bed felt empty.

'Hmm. This is a downside I hadn't considered. Even though I was married to Ludwig for years, I never felt this way.'

A feeling fluttered in my chest, as if a few butterflies were flapping their wings.

It was an unfamiliar sensation, so I shook my head, hugged the pillow tighter, and continued rolling on the bed.

Then, I miscalculated and ended up falling to the floor.

"Ouch!"

Only then did I realize.

The reason I hadn't fallen out of bed all this time was because of Arpad, who was like a solid wall.

My sleeping habits aren't very good, so I often fell out of bed since childhood.

Because of that, my bed in Delphin had railings, but there's no such thing here.

'And yet, until now, I've never fallen out of bed while sleeping.'

For the first time, it occurred to me that it might be thanks to Arpad.

"......"

Holding an undeniable loneliness, I fell asleep late.

Throughout Arpad's absence.

* * *

Whether Arpad was by my side or not, time flowed on without stopping.

The events I had planned also unfolded without fail.

Three days after helping the Duchess of Müzen.

I received a request for an audience from the Duchess of Müzen and the young duke.

Thanks to that, I was able to meet the Duchess of Müzen and her son in good health.

"I, Iolin Müzen, pay my respects to Her Highness the Crown Princess."

"Aron Müzen is honored to meet Your Highness."

They were unusually courteous considering their status and power.

Moreover, the Duchess of Müzen seemed surprised to see Grand Duchess Axion, who was by my side as the Head Lady-in-Waiting.

After briefly bowing her head to exchange greetings with the Grand Duchess, the Duchess looked at me with an admiring gaze.

She must have assumed that the position of Head Lady-in-Waiting was merely a nominal title due to Grand Duchess Axion's prestige.

Seeing the Grand Duchess personally guarding me, she had no choice but to interpret the situation differently.

And regardless of the Grand Duchess, these two had a reason to show me a respectful attitude.

"If it weren't for Your Highness's help last time, my mother would have been in great trouble. We formally offer our gratitude."

"Thank you so much, Your Highness."

They had come knowing that the one who helped them that time was me.

"Please, don't mention it. It was fortunate the timing coincided."

I asked Aron Müzen one thing I was curious about.

"By any chance, did you hear from the young lady of Marquis Ruth who I was?"

Aron chuckled and shook his head.

"No. The young lady of Ruth turned pale and disappeared without a word. It was quite a rude attitude."

The Duchess sighed beside him.

"I've also heard about the matter between the young lady of Ruth and Your Highness. Even so, to not say a word as if trying to hide it... As the rumors say, she truly is a young lady with a bad disposition."

Thanks to that, it seems this mother and son have formed a poor impression of Evangeline.

Unlike before the regression.

'Back then, these two were prominent followers of Evangeline.'

Because of that, the Duchess of Müzen had been furious that she couldn't obtain the dress dyed with Shalinga flower petals, which was her preference, until the end.

Rita Morgan (Isepin) never made dresses for those close to Evangeline.

'But this time, she will be the first, besides me, to get her hands on Isepin's dress.'

Perhaps because of that, or perhaps because she nearly died and survived, the Duchess seemed to be in a very good mood.

She was staring at me intently with starry, sparkling eyes.

"...?"

But the degree was a bit excessive.

So much so that I broke into a cold sweat from the pressure.

She didn't take her eyes off mine.

"Madam?"

"......"

"What is it, Madam?"

Even after calling her several more times, the Duchess of Müzen kept looking into my eyes with an entranced expression.

When Aron cleared his throat and nudged her side, she snapped out of it.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I was so lost in thought."

"Not at all. Is there something on my face?"

The Duchess of Müzen's pale face immediately flushed bright red.

She looked at me like a dreamy maiden and said:

"Your Highness is just too much to my taste."

"...Pardon?"

I was so surprised I almost spilled the tea I was drinking.

Even Aron looked at his mother with shocked eyes and exclaimed.

"M-Mother?!"

I replied blankly.

"Uh... but I'm already married, Madam."

You're not only married, Madam, but you also have your son right beside you.

Romance, Fantasy,