The Survival Strategy of the Contract Duchess - Chapter 87

After tidying up the gazebo, I felt a bit sleepy. Eating a delicious meal to the full, having a focused conversation, and sharing a kiss in the middle of it all.

At the time, I wasn’t fully aware because of the gravity of the conversation we were having, but now, as I try to recall it, the surrounding scenery, the sound of the water, the feeling of the wind brushing past that sensation, shared in such a beautifully harmonious place, made my heart race with excitement.

“I’m going to take a short walk. I’ll be getting a little closer to the mountains along the stream, like last time. Would that be alright?”

It was similar to when we first came to the Uhalin Forest. That made me wonder if she might feel reluctant, remembering what happened last time when we encountered the monster.

“I’m fine. Let’s go quickly.”

I was feeling a bit sleepy anyway, and walking with him would probably wake me up, even if it was just from the tension.

We decided to pick up the lunch box on the way back down, and the two of us left the gazebo side by side.

And, as Kyler insisted, we weren’t holding hands.

We started walking forward together, keeping a slight distance between us.

That was the biggest difference from that day.

“How’s your ear now? Can you still hear the sounds?”

She asked, looking up at him. She was a little worried that she was asking too often, but he seemed to be listening intently to answer Sasha’s question.

Sasha suddenly felt a pang in her heart at the sight. She wondered if he needed time to distinguish whether what he was hearing was noise or a sound that everyone else could hear naturally, because he was always plagued by such noises.

“I can still hear it a bit, but it’s not dangerous. I don’t think they’ll show up.”

“Really? That’s a relief.”

Sasha believed him and relaxed the tension that had been stiffening her body.

She was pretending to be calm as she walked beside him, but it was impossible not to be nervous. After all, she had suddenly heard those terrifying sounds here, something terrifying had appeared, and they had fought terrifyingly.

She didn’t know if the next monster would attack her first, or if it would reach out to her like the second one.

She realized that the reality was very different from what she had boldly imagined.

She wondered if this was why Kyler had tried to stop her. She silently watched him, who was steadily moving his feet, thinking that this was what it meant to have a lot of practical experience.

“I think it was a good idea to come out today.”

He, who seemed to be concentrating on his ear as he walked, glanced down at Sasha.

“Me too.”

He had become terse again, but his voice, every word he spoke, felt precious. Just the feeling of him being there made me happy.

The two lovers walked side by side along the beautiful forest path, carrying a mix of overwhelming feelings for each other, pounding hearts, and a slight tension about the threat from the outside. It felt like these complex, subtle, yet clear things were accumulating with every step.

“Duke!”

Then someone calling out to them came from above.

Stopping, they looked up and saw a familiar figure running towards them from the other side.

Sasha, who had been startled by the sound, breathed a sigh of relief as it wasn’t an urgent voice or a hurried pace. It was Dylan, who had been scouring the forest from the edge of the mountains.

“I’m coming down after scouring the mountains. Fortunately, no one was hurt.”

Kyler nodded. In a situation with many variables, he accepted Dylan’s words and began to turn around.

“Good, then let’s go back.”

“Huh? Is work over for today?”

“Yes.”

Kyler turned back with Dylan and started down the forest path.

“We periodically check the forest for traces of monsters. It seems there weren’t any this time.”

“Since that day has there never been one?”

Sasha asked, looking at Kyler’s back as he turned away.

“Yes. Since then, no monsters have come down to the Uhalin Forest.”

Kyler answered Sasha’s question without any hesitation, but Sasha’s face hardened somewhat at the answer.

However, Kyler and Dylan, who were walking ahead, did not notice her expression.

They stopped by the gazebo again to pick up the lunch box and then headed to the entrance of the forest. As they went back, Sasha was lost in her own thoughts, but she didn’t voice them.

“There really weren’t any traces. It’s been like this for days, and we’ve been looking closely, but we’ve never seen one. Ah, there was one time. Earlier, one was sneaking down from the mountains, so we took care of it right away.”

“I see…”

After hearing that story, Sasha began to seriously consider whether she should step forward. Of course, it wasn’t that she didn’t know their reactions, but she kept feeling that there were still some unsettling parts.

They soon reached the entrance of the forest. Walking as if on a stroll, they quickly arrived in front of the carriage again.

“Then I’ll escort you from behind.”

“You can come comfortably.”

Kyler lightly replied to Dylan’s greeting and then opened the carriage door, extending his hand to her.

Sasha now skillfully took his hand and gracefully climbed into the carriage. And, as when they came, they sat side by side and returned to the Duke’s residence.

Sasha was quietly in the carriage, lost in many questions and trivial thoughts. Kyler glanced at her and, seeing that she had her eyes closed, assumed she had fallen asleep and turned his head to look out the window.

She was gazing wistfully at Kyler’s back. She felt deeply that this person, who had spent time in so much pain and with so many scars, really loved her.

That’s why she felt sorry for him, but she couldn’t figure out what to do with him, who was only trying to push forward headlong.

This outing had subtly changed the relationship between the two, but it was also a good time for her to make a decision.

That’s why it kept surfacing, and when it came to the surface, she would obediently push it down again, saying it couldn’t be done.

But she still thought he had to be the one to finish it. She raised her hand, barely calmed the trembling, and looked at the back of Kyler’s head.

–

Midienna was walking diligently down the hallway with a black envelope in her hand.

The letter she had sent after much deliberation had received a faster reply than she had expected. What she was holding in her hand was exactly that.

Even though she had paid nobles to spread rumors and tried to use high society in various ways, they were not willing to get deeply involved in the matter, especially since she was not receiving good reviews.

In the end, she had no choice but to think of this method.

The head maid had disappeared to look around the Empress’s Palace, and Franz had delivered it to her. Midienna was hurrying to get out of this corridor and back to the Empress’s Palace.

“Oh, Midienna? Where are you going in such a hurry?”

But, despite her busy pace, she heard the voice she least wanted to hear.

“Ha?”

Stopping the steps she had been diligently taking, Midienna naturally hid the black envelope behind her back. Whether he had noticed it or not, all she had to do was make a motion that she didn’t want to show it.

Lydian’s eyes sharply scanned the envelope already. Without knowing that he had the eyes to figure out what it was, Midienna gave him a faint smile. Lydian calmed himself by blinking a few times.

“Your Majesty. What brings you here?”

“What brings me here. This is my palace, so shouldn’t I be the one asking you that?”

“Ah! I wanted to send a letter to my father.”

Midienna carefully mentioned Medilan’s name. Of course, they had parted ways on bad terms when they met at the Imperial Palace that day, but while she was acting so haughty, Lydian couldn’t take his eyes off her.

“I see. If there’s anything you want to deliver, you can always tell me. If there’s anything you want to get there quickly, I’ll consider it as well.”

“Thank you for your kind words.”

“Ahem.”

Lydian nodded as he looked at her, who was politely greeting him. Midienna felt a slight anxiety in his appearance, as if he was going to ask something more but didn’t, and as if he was going to let her go but didn’t.

Her hand, holding the envelope, was sweating as if it would get wet. Had he already discovered this envelope and was that why he was taking up so much of her time?

In fact, Lydian’s gaze seemed to be directed at her back hand, which she desperately wanted to hide. Midienna gave her handsome husband, who kept persistently approaching her, only a faint smile.

“Ah, no. Midienna, would you like to have a cup of tea with me? I heard that a good tea was sent from the viscount’s territory down there, so I was on my way.”

Lydian’s suggestion was the same as always. He always wanted to spend time with her and asked her as if leaving the choice to her, who was mostly burdened.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I have things I need to finish doing now. I’m trying to hurry because I can’t send it in the middle.”

“I see. If that’s the case, there’s nothing I can do.”

Lydian nodded without paying attention to her clumsy excuse.

“Then…”

His movements seemed suspicious today. From his suddenly stammering voice to his naturally widening eyes. She thought he was moving the same as usual, but it seemed that the parts that were slightly off were intertwined.

As she turned around and disappeared without regret, she felt the envelope in her hand getting in the way of her fingers. Midienna began to walk back before the dignity disappeared from her face.

Support