The Price of Breaching the Contract - Chapter 70

Spring in Makari Castle was more vibrant than any other year. Or, to be precise, it was the first spring after becoming the ‘Duchy of Makari,’ and a true spring touched by Yulania’s hand.

She was busy preparing for the banquet she had postponed throughout the winter. It wasn’t just a simple ritual or formality, but she was putting her energy into completely renovating Makari Castle. Gardening was also part of that.

Salvia, marigolds, baby’s breath, and carnations were planted at regular intervals along the promenade, and between them, castle stones were embedded, emitting a subtle yellow light. At night, it mixed with the starlight, making it almost dreamlike.

Yulania’s attention didn’t miss even the corners of the castle. She examined the structure of Makari Castle one by one, replacing the wallpaper and flooring with bright, high-quality materials. The old banquet hall was decorated with brightly colored tapestries and chandeliers to soften the atmosphere, and the reception room and lobby were newly decorated in warm cream and light green.

Softly colored curtains and pearl decorations gently enveloped the interior, and large, cozy sofas for welcoming guests created a harmonious atmosphere.

During the construction period, the entire castle was in chaos with noise and dust. The servants were horrified when Yulania tried to inspect every corner herself, and they blocked her approach. Everyone agreed that it was dangerous for her, who was pregnant, to be exposed to this environment.

However, when she stubbornly tried to check the construction site with her own eyes, a silk mask was made just for her. The mask, made of soft and light fabric with subtle floral embroidery, was cute and luxurious, so Yulania reluctantly wore it, but was satisfied.

While preparing so meticulously, Yulania became close to Mireya. In Santia’s absence, she was the only female friend with whom she could share her innermost thoughts. Mireya, who was originally cheerful and unreserved, made the atmosphere of the castle less heavy, and Yulania often laughed with her as they decided on the details of the remodeling.

One day, while the two were choosing curtain patterns for the reception room, Yulania suddenly asked.

“I don’t remember seeing you at the banquet. You didn’t come last winter either, did you?”

Mireya gave a slightly embarrassed smile.

“Yes, coincidentally, something always happened that made it difficult for me to leave the territory at those times. Since I’m the eldest daughter of the family, I have many responsibilities. You probably saw my younger sister.”

“Ah, I think I did.”

“I’ll definitely attend this time. I can’t miss a banquet that you’ve prepared so meticulously.”

Yulania smiled contentedly at those words. The ‘Makari Castle Spring Banquet’ was not just a social gathering. It was a symbol of the castle becoming a new center, and it was also the beginning of the ‘home’ that she and Santia had created together.

She spent her days taking a walk around the garden every morning, checking the furniture arrangement in the reception room in the afternoon, and tasting new banquet menus in the evening. Her belly was quite full, making her movements sluggish, but Yulania wandered around the castle like a child with shining eyes.

And when she suddenly stopped walking, she thought.

‘What would Santia say if he saw this? He’d probably tell me not to walk around so much again.’

But she knew that worry and encouragement would always follow those words. The words he spoke in a low voice were always deep inside, even though he pretended to be indifferent.

‘Well done, Yulania.’

She wanted to hear those words. And she wanted him to come back soon. She wanted him to cross the newly renovated main gate of the castle, be surprised to see the changed castle, and see the brighter atmosphere.

Imagining that day, she looked through another wallpaper sample today.

It was the season when flowers bloomed.

The castle, the people, and her heart too.

With Santia away, Diego, who was in charge of the overall security of Makari Castle, silently narrowed his gaze on the wall and stared at the forest. Amidst the shimmering haze-like fog, small movements were repeatedly detected somewhere in the bushes.

“They’ve appeared again.”

He said quietly and turned to the knight accompanying him.

“Is it the same direction as a few days ago?”

The knight nodded silently and lowered the telescope he was holding.

“Yes. The location is almost the same, and the intervals of movement are similar. Most are small.”

“Is it for reconnaissance?”

“I wonder why they seem to be ejected like this. It feels like something is pushing them out from beyond that forest.”

“Demons can’t come out on their own at this time.”

Diego rested his chin on his hand and fell into deep thought.

“It’s not normal for small ones to approach the castle walls after the cold has gone away. Especially not in this season.”

The knight was silent for a moment before cautiously asking.

“Shall I report to the Duchess?”

Diego shook his head.

“No, we shouldn’t cause unnecessary worry during this important time. Especially now, it’s important to protect her peaceful daily life.”

“But if they keep appearing.”

“Then we’ll have to step in. For now, let’s keep it to ourselves. When the demons’ movements become clearer, we’ll prepare for a full response then.”

The knight nodded and looked back over the wall. The forest, with no breeze, was eerily quiet this morning.

Diego could instinctively sense that something was wrong. The desire to inform Yulania before things got out of hand and the desire to resolve the situation without worrying her were mixed in his mind, causing conflict.

‘Lord!’

He had only been away for a few days, but his absence weighed heavily on his shoulders. He looked up at the sky as if asking Santia. He pondered over and over how his lord would have handled this situation.

The conclusion he reached was that he would never put Yulania first. Santia would have chosen to avoid mentioning the demons to Yulania as much as possible.

As there was no clear danger at the moment, he was leaning towards taking responsibility himself. Diego quietly called a few skilled knights separately, held a temporary meeting, and delivered instructions.

“We will strengthen regular patrols for the time being. Focus especially on the border connecting to the forest, the northeastern entrance. It’s mainly reconnaissance for now, but attack immediately if necessary.”

However, the situation was different for Santia and Diego, who could handle devils single-handedly. Although there weren’t many, small demons were constantly appearing, and they slowly dug into Diego’s mind in the form of pressure. He instinctively felt that he would soon have to inform Yulania of the situation and ask for help.

He managed to handle the situation for a day or two by gathering knights who knew how to use mana, but when the situation didn’t improve and continued for more than three days, Diego decided to use a messenger bird.

It was just after the news that Santia had left the capital was delivered. At a normal speed, it was ten days away, so if he sent the news in advance, he could arrive much faster.

The messenger bird took a full day to reach Santia.

[Multiple small demons have appeared beyond the wall for more than three days. No major danger yet, but we are being cautious.]

The content was not long or urgent. However, Santia frowned and gnashed his teeth after confirming the contents.

“Damn it, already.”

The mere word ‘demon’ was enough to stimulate him. It was even a fully thawed spring. Demons had never appeared in this weather. That’s why he left Yulania behind with anxiety.

There was no major threat yet, but an instinctive ominous premonition was slowly rising from within.

‘Yet.’

That one word made his mind dizzy. Diego was also a skilled Makari knight with no lack of experience. There was no way he would have missed the abnormal movements of the demons.

Above all, if there was no threat, there would have been no reason to use a messenger bird to report to Santia.

Santia had left the capital earlier than planned and was speeding up because he was worried about Yulania, whom he had left behind. However, no matter how fast he ran, it was still five days away from Makari.

‘Please, God.’

He looked at the north, which was faintly visible in the distance, and increased his speed even more.

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