The Price of Breaching the Contract - Chapter 80

While Santiago was away, spring had definitively arrived in the Makari territory. The frozen earth softened, and verdant buds appeared on the tips of every tree. At the heart of this change was the garden that Yulania had cultivated for so long.

It began with clearing the ground and covering it with fertile soil. The seedlings, prepared with the help of the servants throughout the winter, had already grown to a certain extent in the warm confines of the castle. And now, these small lives were raising their heads to greet the spring.

The sunlight was exceptionally generous. Salvia began to bloom with a vivid red hue, and the marigolds beside it blossomed as if splattered with yellow paint. Baby’s breath scattered lightly like the wind across a field, and pink carnations quietly held their place, embracing all these colors.

Yulania slowly walked along the garden path, gazing at each and every flower.

“So beautiful,” she whispered softly, crouching down at a neatly trimmed corner of the path. As she carefully caressed the petals of a flower with her fingertips, the clear, soft light of the holy stones flickered around it, as if embracing it.

Holy stones were placed throughout the garden like decorations. Yulania had adjusted the size and brightness of the stones to match the color and height of the flowers. Some were smaller than fingernail clippings, while others sparkled like palm-sized jewels. As if plucking stars from the sky and planting them, the holy stones swayed in rhythm with the light.

The maids had strung small holy stones onto shimmering cords and hung them among the flowers. Delicate shadows were cast on the ground depending on the angle of the sunlight, and the entire garden sparkled like a glass palace. Anyone who looked over the low fence would stop in their tracks, unable to believe that this was the courtyard of Makari Castle.

“It’s like a dream. To think this place could change so much.”

Vanessa had approached her side unnoticed and murmured. Her voice made Yulania feel even warmer.

“Worth the effort, don’t you think?”

Yulania smiled, holding a piece of light-reflecting holy stone and rolling it between her fingertips. Unknown to anyone, this garden was not just a landscape. It was a trajectory of her life, a part of the new world her child would be born into. For the first time, she truly felt settled.

Yulania slowly smiled, imagining Santiago’s expression when he first saw this place. And sitting on a small bench placed at the edge of the garden, she carefully stroked her belly. A warm breeze quietly fluttered her clothes, and a subtle stirring inside her abdomen was conveyed to her fingertips.

“Are you growing well, baby?”

Yulania quietly spoke. As she felt the fetal movement, she became more aware of the child’s existence and found herself talking to it more often. When she spoke aloud, she could feel the movement of small feet kicking in response. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The light of the holy stones, the scent of the flower petals, and the warmth of life all lingered in this space. Only now could she truly feel it.

‘Ah, this is life.’

And she quietly murmured the words she had kept in her heart.

‘Welcome, my baby. I’m waiting for you in this garden.’

As the weather completely warmed and the north wind disappeared, the northern nobles who had been unable to visit Makari began to arrive at the castle one by one. They were generally polite and cautious, having only heard news throughout the winter and not daring to make the journey.

The snowy mountainous terrain of the north had almost completely cut off transportation, and the road to Makari was particularly dangerous. However, with the arrival of spring, such concerns disappeared as if by magic. As the snow melted and the roads opened, guests arrived in droves as if they had been waiting for it.

Yulania was not at all bothered by this situation. On the contrary, she brightened her face and greeted the guests politely, serving tea and fruit in a small reception room. Originally, she was skilled at dealing with people. Having grown up in the capital’s court and endured the harsh and subtle verbal battles of the capital’s nobles, the somewhat rough speech or irrelevant compliments of the rural nobles felt rather cute to her.

She smiled brightly, placing her hand on her stomach, and said, “Thank you for coming all this way. Even though it’s a spring road, it must still be rough.”

One of the guests, a young baron from a small northern family, nodded with a bewildered expression.

“Princess, no, Princess Consort you are radiant. Ah, I mean, I sincerely congratulate you. To be expecting a child soon, it is a great blessing for the Makari family.”

He stammered at the end of each sentence, but Yulania liked such awkward sincerity. She nodded calmly to him. And the next day, a small model of a baby carriage was delivered to the garden from that family. It was crude but heartfelt, as if it had been made by hand, and Yulania felt a warmth in her heart.

Even during the week that Santiago was away, three other noble families visited the castle. The daughter of an earl was a somewhat mature woman who greeted her familiarly, saying that she had lived in the capital, and a baron even brought his young son and had him sit at Yulania’s feet, staring intently at her lower abdomen.

“When the child of Makari is born, our family will serve them faithfully.”

As such words were exchanged, gifts began to pile up in front of the castle gate. Luxurious blankets, baby clothes, pillows made of unknown herbs, and even small silver-crafted spoons. It was a flood of gifts rather than visits.

Yulania smiled and said to Vanessa, “At this rate, we might have to build a separate gift warehouse before the baby is even born.”

“You always deserve to be recognized, Princess. Everyone is finally opening their eyes,” Vanessa said with a soft smile, stubbornly using her title. She insisted on serving Yulania as herself, not as a Makari person, and Yulania, touched by her heart, decided to make an exception for her alone.

It was not just because of the pregnancy, but the rumor that Santiago had met with the king in the capital and effectively revealed his independent position was already spreading throughout the kingdom. Makari was no longer a remote territory on the outskirts. It was becoming a force in its own right, possessing independent military power and the symbolism of the Saintess.

Yulania never let this opportunity slip away. While greeting guests politely and humbly, she carefully grasped their individual situations, power structures, and even the weaknesses within their families. The countless political maneuvers and diplomatic skills she had experienced in the capital’s social circles came into play at this moment. She was no longer just a former princess of the Tinley Kingdom, but the core of the north and the lady of Makari.

“Duchess, you somehow resemble a Saintess. Your words, your eyes.”

Hearing those words, Yulania smiled.

“I don’t know what a Saintess is like. I just want to be an adult who is not ashamed in front of this child.”

Sitting in the garden and greeting guests, she gradually hardened her heart. The conviction that this was her place and the will to protect this land, these people, and her own life came together and entered her heart.

At the same time, beyond the walls,

In the middle of a desolate plain filled with a damp aura, a being standing on a towering rocky cliff, looking down at the empty air, slowly turned its body. A chilling energy surged like a wave, and a pitch-black, shadow-like being floated into the air.

Santiago raised his sword, staring at the figure with a blank face.

Devil. The king of demons, the being who had trapped the north in curse and chaos for hundreds of years. The one he had dealt with three years ago had awakened again and faced him.

Behind Santiago, dozens of knights stood in formation. But Devil did not even glance at them, only staring at Santiago, one person. Eyes so black they were almost red pierced deeply into Santiago, distorting his face in a chilling way as if breaking into a smile.

Kiyaaaa—!

Santiago silently raised his sword high. There was no conversation to be had with a demon.

The demons moved first. As if by agreement, large and small demons rushed towards the knights, and Devil headed straight for Santiago.

“Lord!”

Diego’s cry followed Santiago as he dashed through the air. It was a call closer to encouragement than worry. Leaving that trusting voice behind, Santiago’s sword moved forward in a smooth trajectory.

Devil dodged as if gliding through the air. Moving like smoke, the creature was as fluid as if it had no form. Every time Devil waved his elongated arms, shooting out black waves, a huge shockwave swept across the ground as if the horizon was splitting.

Every time Santiago and Devil collided, the plain twisted and the air tore. Santiago lowered his body, holding his sword forward to block the waves without a gap. He withstood the intense pressure, the tip of his sword making a dizzying metallic sound and his toes digging into the ground.

The next moment was fleeting. The two beings simultaneously cut through the air and collided again. A collision like lightning striking each other in the sky occurred, creating an explosive noise. The knights, fighting the demons, occasionally raised their heads to look at the sky, but only shadows mixed with flames were violently shaking in the sky.

“This is a Sword Master.”

A young knight muttered, holding his breath.

At a speed that the human eye could not follow, Santiago endlessly crossed and collided with Devil in the air.

Devil’s sword cut through the air, emitting a sinister black aura, and Santiago shimmered, shedding the light of brilliant mana. The battle grew increasingly fierce. Scars were left on the earth as if a huge beast had clawed through it, and the direction of the clouds changed as if the sky was splitting.

Then finally, Santiago took a deep breath and recomposed his breathing. At this rate, it would only be a war of attrition. Devil was more tenacious than he thought, not showing any openings.

It was then.

A dazzling light emanated from the pendant around Santiago’s neck. The golden light rippled from the small holy stone containing Yulania’s power, dazzlingly coloring the heart of the battle.

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