Chapter 127 - North Korean rabbit

Episode 127

“What on earth are you saying, Lord Beltain?”

I was so startled that I rose from my seat.

However, Lord Beltain’s resolute expression did not change in the slightest.

“Is it because of the scandal and the trial? It’s been proven that we are innocent.”

It was then. That annoying voice of Arpad’s interjected from beside me.

“Well. Someone might raise the issue again later.”

I glared at Arpad, then tried my best to placate Lord Beltain.

“Losing a knight as noble as you over such lies would be too great a loss.”

Lord Beltain, who had kept his lips tightly sealed all this time, finally spoke.

“It is Your Highness who is noble and without shame. But… if you ask me whether I feel not a shred of shame… I cannot say that is so.”

Only I was standing; Arpad remained seated, crossing his legs without losing his composure.

But as these words ended, Arpad sprang to his feet.

“Do you know the meaning of what you are saying now?!”

Lately, he’d been acting so out of character that I thought his facial muscles might have slackened, but Arpad was still Arpad.

His aura and anger were terrifying.

Lord Beltain, bearing the full brunt of it, showed not a flicker of wavering.

“…I know. That is why I am speaking of it now.”

After a serious exchange passed between the two men.

I had been too shocked by Lord Beltain’s mention of resignation to fully grasp the meaning, but I realized belatedly.

What Lord Beltain just said was……

‘Does Lord Beltain… have feelings for me, could it be?’

Plunged into a whirlpool of confusion, I turned my head to look at him.

Lord Beltain was bowing his head with a devastated expression.

Having known him for a long time, I could tell. My understanding was correct.

‘But, nothing happened in the third round.’

Even though we ran away together, there was nothing between us as a man and a woman.

Naturally, I could only think that Lord Beltain would never, under any circumstances, like me as a woman.

So stunned by the unexpected situation that I could only gape, Arpad, with his menacing aura, stepped toward Lord Beltain.

“Do you know what you are doing right now?”

“I merely……”

“With just a few words, you have made part of the scandal about my wife true!”

“…I am ashamed.”

“If this fact becomes known, regardless of the trial’s outcome, there will certainly be those who declare the scandal between Hilia and you an established fact!”

Lord Beltain raised his head and looked straight at Arpad.

“I know that as well. That is why, in truth, I never intended to speak of it until my death.”

“Then you should have kept it that way……!”

As Arpad, unable to contain his anger, tried to say more, I stopped him.

“Wait a moment. Arpad.”

“Hilia!”

“I wish to speak to him directly. He is my knight.”

“…….”

Arpad, his face as if molten lava were boiling within, nevertheless took a step back.

I walked directly up to Lord Beltain. Meeting his gaze, I asked.

“If you intended to hide it for a lifetime, why are you speaking of it now?”

“…….”

“And… since when?”

In my past life, Lord Beltain fled with me the day before the wedding, as I had asked.

And during the roughly half-year of life on the run, he did not lay a finger on me.

We often slept in the same room, and while sleeping rough, we relied on each other’s warmth.

Yet the Lord Beltain I knew was a completely blameless and shameless knight.

Of course, no one in my past life believed that.

Because of it, Lord Beltain became a criminal who dared to abduct a bride before her wedding, and what’s more, stole the bride of a member of the imperial family.

Even after Ludwig properly married me, he could not restrain his anger toward Lord Beltain.

He severed the tendons in his limbs, turning him into an invalid, and tortured him in the underground prison until his death.

To the point where not dying immediately felt like a punishment.

A horrific and wretched end.

Yet, until the very end, he worried about me.

I thought it was simply because, as a knight, he was concerned and anxious for me.

But.

But, what if that wasn’t the case…….

“Lord Beltain, that feeling you spoke of… since when was it?”

Lord Beltain, who had remained composed even before Arpad’s murderous anger, slowly shook his head.

Like someone confessing a sin that should not exist.

“…It has been a long time. I realized it when I saw Your Highness being subjected to a marriage of abduction, but thinking back now, it was even before that.”

Then, that meant he had felt the same way even before the regression.

And yet he…….

For a moment, a surge of emotion welled up, hot and choking, blocking my words.

Lord Beltain spoke as if squeezing the words out.

“…I am sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing?”

How could liking someone be a wrongdoing?

But considering the reason for Arpad’s anger, it was understandable that he felt such a profound sense of responsibility.

“My request to withdraw is not solely due to my feelings. Nor is my apology.”

“What do you mean?”

Was there something else?

Lord Beltain’s demeanor, which had been filled only with poignant sincerity and guilt toward me, changed slightly.

“During the trial… I had no intention of appearing as the Grand Duke’s witness.”

“That’s… but you gave testimony in my favor?”

So I thought Lord Beltain had pretended to be deceived by Evangeline and taken the stand.

It would be more effective to appear as Ludwig’s witness and speak in my favor.

He himself had said so.

But Lord Beltain’s words were completely different from my thoughts.

“Until I took the witness stand, I was truly the Grand Duke’s witness.”

“…What?”

“I do not know exactly how that was possible. However, something was strange when I spoke with the Marchioness of Ruth’s daughter.”

The outcome was good, so I let it pass, but the trickery shown that day did not suit his character.

Refusing Evangeline’s persuasion outright and testifying as our witness from the start would have matched his upright nature.

“I felt a strange power in that woman’s wicked words. As if it touched upon desires I hadn’t even been aware of, manipulating me……”

This was truly a serious matter.

Because in my three regressions, I had never experienced anything like it.

Controlling another’s mind is not easy, even with magic.

The most powerful mage I’ve seen, the Tower Lord himself, could not use such magic.

‘I need to look into this more closely.’

Lord Beltain closed his mouth for a moment, then opened it again, continuing with great difficulty.

“…I truly believed that if I dragged Your Highness into the abyss… you could become mine.”

I could hear the sound of Arpad grinding his teeth.

“Until I stood on the witness stand, I genuinely wanted that and intended to act on it. But……”

“But, you didn’t do it, did you?”

Lord Beltain slowly nodded.

“Yes. The moment I saw Your Highness from the witness stand, it was as if my head cleared. I barely managed to regain my senses.”

“Lord Beltain, you didn’t do it. What you harbor in your heart is not a crime.”

Lord Beltain, his head bowed to the floor, shook it.

“Being able to not cross the final line was not my doing. Your Highness led me away from it.”

“Your mental strength prevailed.”

“No. That is not it. I know that much. If I had not met Your Highness’s eyes at that moment, I would have uttered those filthy words.”

*Thud!*

Steeped in self-loathing and anger, Lord Beltain struck the floor with his fist.

I understood. Lord Beltain was not asking to withdraw because he held feelings for me.

Rather, he was blaming himself for nearly falling for Evangeline’s scheme and, thinking himself a hindrance, was requesting to leave.

Truly… it was so like the Lord Beltain I knew.

Persuading him emotionally now was impossible.

Then what I could do for him was to create a pretext for Lord Beltain to forgive himself.

I slowly began to speak.

“Renus Beltain. My first knight, who pledged his sword to me. Will you follow any command of mine?”

“Yes, Your Highness. Command anything. I will follow, even at the cost of my life.”

“Then withdraw to Delphin for a while.”

‘For a while’ also implied that I would call him back.

Lord Beltain looked bewildered.

“But that alone is not……”

Originally, when a person’s mind is in peril, the best solution was this.

‘Work. A great deal of work!’

If one is busy, there is no time to dig holes in the ground.

So I decided to give Lord Beltain a great deal of work.

“I have no leisure to manage the interior of Delphin right now. I haven’t even been able to properly replenish the staff. Lord Beltain, who knows the mansion well, please go and oversee it directly.”

Of course, that wasn’t all.

“This is merely a pretext. So that Lord Beltain can be outside the imperial palace.”

“If it is a pretext, does that mean the reality is different?”

I nodded.

“Correct. If you feel you have sullied your knightly honor and wish to leave my side, then find the cause yourself and clear the stain.”

“…Your Highness.”

I also entrusted the surveillance of Evangeline and Ludwig to Lord Beltain.

We absolutely had to find out what method was used to nearly manipulate Lord Beltain.

Lord Beltain is the person I trust most.

Moreover, he is someone who nearly fell victim to manipulation but overcame it. There could be no more suitable person.

While uncovering the truth with his own hands, he would have no time to direct his loathing and anger at himself.

Once everything is revealed, he will be able to judge objectively that it was not his fault.

‘If he’s still digging holes in the ground by then, I’ll scold him and bring him back.’

Approaching Lord Beltain, who was touching his forehead to the floor as if moved, I asked.

“I have always considered Lord Beltain my eternal first knight, and I will continue to do so.”

“Your Highness……”

Lord Beltain’s voice was tinged with moisture.

“Is it a cruel thing to ask you to remain that way?”

Lord Beltain’s face stiffened. Because he understood that I had directly rejected his confession.

He could not answer immediately.

Hoping fervently that he would not be too hurt, I concluded.

“Whatever choice you make, the position of first knight in my heart will always belong to Lord Beltain. You may believe that, at least.”

The fact that you are my precious knight will remain unchanged, no matter how many lives I live or what happens.

* * *

Arpad sighed.

“I think my temper has become too soft. This is a problem.”

What is he talking about? Just a moment ago, he looked ready to tear Lord Beltain to pieces.

Of course, not acting on it is praiseworthy.

I thought Arpad, as usual, would boast about his own mercy and boldly demand praise for it.

I had even prepared myself mentally(?).

But unexpectedly, Arpad did not show off any further. Instead, he was quietly up to something strange.

It was now close to dinnertime. But Arpad’s attire was odd.

“Why are you wearing that?”

He was dressed in plain, worn clothes that wouldn’t stand out even in the middle of the capital.

With a mask, he would be the Mercenary King Gerald.

For some reason, Arpad looked up at the sky with an expression mixed with faint anger and fear.

…Fear? Arpad, fear?

“Sleep alone tonight.”

“What?”

What is this sudden talk?

As I stared with wide eyes, Arpad wiped away the concern from earlier and spoke with a mischievous expression.

“Why, do you dislike the thought of being lonely?”

“No, why are you suddenly like this?”

Why is he telling me to sleep alone(?), I mean.

I was just surprised. I was absolutely not hurt or disappointed!

My expression couldn’t help but stiffen at Arpad’s following words.

“Tonight, the Crimson Moon will rise.”

The Crimson Moon’s nickname is the Moon of Madness.

The night when the imperial family’s madness intensifies the most is precisely the night the Crimson Moon rises.

And that was today.

Romance, Fantasy,